Name: Andy Nguyen

Medical Title/Credentials: MS-3 (3rd Year Medical Student

IG: @andy_nguyen9

School/Program: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

Favorite Hobby: Photography and Videography

Why did you choose this profession? Couldn't see myself doing anything else! I was exposed early on to patient care and being able to hear the stories of struggle and triumph through clinical research at 16 and from then on knew medicine was exactly where I wanted to be. It is the only field that allows you to not just share in people's most intimately human moments, but provide them a source of encouragement and hope in a time when they may need it the most.

Biggest Inspiration: Medically it has to be my earliest mentor Dr. Wilde, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor who knew me since I was 5 and who showed me exactly what it meant to care confidently in any situation. Creatively my biggest inspirations are Casey Neistat, Danny Gevirtz, and Kobe Bryant, for making the every day ordinary seem like incredible adventures.

Current Passion Project: Being a part of a huge community of medical creators on YouTube through my channel ND MD. With over 100k subscribers, it has grown immensely since I started medical school and allows me to use my professional creative background in photography and cinematography to tell the incredibly inspiring stories of physicians, residents, and fellow students from all around the country and world. It has been such an unexpected blessing to reach so many students who may want to be a physician or healthcare professional one day in such a unique and authentic way.

Fun Fact: Because I went to medical school through a 7 year accelerated BS/MD track, I started medical school before I could legally drink and I had my white coat ceremony before my undergraduate commencement.

Do you have any advice for others interested in entering your field? Don't lose sight of why you do it. This road is long but trust me patients teach you more about medicine and how to love everyone exactly where they are in that moment, than any textbook or lecture ever could.

Any other piece of advice, motivational quote, or message you would like to share? Some of the best things you can do to heal, comfort, or provide for someone, do not require a medical degree.