Richmond British Columbia (Richmond News) A student from Richmond’s Matthew McNair secondary is one step closer to her dream to become a physician after participating in a selective global health program.
Grade 12 student Vicky Nguyen had a busy summer learning from leading experts in global health and meeting like-minded peers at Johns Hopkins University’s Global Health Leaders Conference (GHLC), and she was chosen to present in the selective Student Speaker Series.
Nguyen’s presentation on foodborne diseases in developing countries was inspired by her experiences with food contamination, and she“I have been deeply concerned about the number of lives that could be saved if food safety was more strictly enforced in every process, from production and transportation to consumption,” said Nguyen.
“Global health has been one of my greatest passions, as it intersects with my interests in both science and the humanities.”
After a summer of researching and presenting on food safety, Nguyen is one step closer to her dream of becoming a physician.
“Despite the virtual nature of the conference, it was one of the best experiences I have had, as I could directly interact with some of the most distinguished professionals in global health, including those from the Johns Hopkins faculty,” she said, adding that she is thankful for the support of her family and Matthew McNair secondary.
The GHLC is a global health education program allowing exceptional Grades 9 to 12 students around the world to share their work and ideas with global health leaders. Students can learn about key issues through engaging lectures, and a select few are given a chance to present on topics of interest through the Student Speaker Series.
“(Nguyen) was one of the few students from British Columbia admitted into our highly selective program this year and chosen to present,” said Siam Rezwan, chair of the GHLC.
“We sincerely thank Matthew McNair Secondary School and (the Richmond school district) community for nurturing future leaders in global health and medicine — (Nguyen) wonderfully represented Matthew McNair Secondary School and Canada in our program.” highlighted the challenges to food production as well as potential solutions.