Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 8/1/2021 12:00:00 AM

Thanh Nguyen, BA, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Who Has Inspired You In Your Career?
I strive to maintain long-term relationships with mentors from different areas and all walks of life, whether it was my professors from college, my friends, the post-docs who taught me to benchwork, or my PhD advisors. I think ideas and opinions from different people help me keep a fresh perspective. I also seek inspirations from books—from writers who can distill ideas and knowledge into beautiful and concise prose.

What Has Been the Greatest Challenge in Your Career?
To navigate a different country, especially with limited money in my pocket. Something little can turn into such a big deal for me. I remember in my sophomore year in college, I got a summer research internship at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, and the only way to commute in rural America was to drive. I frantically asked around for help and, thankfully, there were friends who were kind enough to give me a free ride. After that, I decided that I needed to learn how to drive. I never failed any academic tests. I excelled in all those mid-terms and finals, but I failed my driving exam twice, both knowledge and skills. My first car was a Honda with more than 180,000 miles on it, but nothing could have made me happier than the moment I had saved enough to purchase that car.

Do you Have a Favorite Tip or Trick for Clinical Practice or Research That You Want to Share with Fellow Members?
There is an African proverb that says “if you want to go fast, go alone; but it you want to go far, go together.” I think this wisdom particularly holds true for today’s research—whether in the setting of a clinician-scientist collaboration trying to solve a translational issue, or an interdisciplinary scientific team trying to answer a fundamental question. Different ideas, expertise, and experience can complement each other and expand the scope of projects. To learn the skills and aptitudes necessary for collaborative effort is just as important as building scientific knowledge throughout one’s career.

When You Aren’t Working, How Do You Spend Your Free Time?
I like reading philosophy and the arts. I also like cooking, baking, and spending time in nature and with family and friends. Ordinary moments can turn extraordinary.

What’s One Thing People Would Be Surprised to Know About You?
I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. Then my family moved to Hanoi, Vietnam, where I spent the first 12 years of my school experience. After several attempts to apply to universities in the United States, I ended up in Vermont for my college education, after which I arrived at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for my PhD training. My life has been a constant adventure, and I want it to continue to be so in the future.

Dr. Nguyen has been a member of ASCPT since 2019.