![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/michellesheadshotb1795c3b677748408277981a2b9603c4.webp)
Hobbies and interests
Public Health
Advocacy And Activism
Community Service And Volunteering
Anatomy
Music
Bodybuilding
Art
Gaming
Reading
Biography
Self-Help
Social Issues
True Story
Michelle Nguyen
705
Bold Points1x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/michellesheadshotb1795c3b677748408277981a2b9603c4.webp)
Michelle Nguyen
705
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
I am a first-generation student. I have been admitted to a DPT program at the University of Washington. My background is a Bachelor of Science in studying Public Health: Global Health, with a minor in Education, Learning, and Societies at the UW. Go dawgs!
I am an aspiring physical therapist looking to broaden my skills and hours at a clinic, hospital, and school setting. Beyond that, I would love to work for underserved communities and learn how to make health care accessible to those who do not have access.
Education
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)Majors:
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, General
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Public Health
Minors:
- Education, Other
Career
Dream career field:
Hospital & Health Care
Dream career goals:
To work for low-income/marginalized communities, as a physical therapist.
Mentor
Mentorship Power for Success- UW2021 – 20221 yearScholar Lead
Washington State Opportunity Scholarship2022 – 20231 yearResearch Assistant
University of Washington Medical Center2023 – 2023Research Coordinator
University of Washington Medical Center2023 – Present1 yearRehabilitation Aide
University of Washington Medical Center2022 – 20231 year
Sports
Bouldering
Club2022 – Present2 years
Research
Public Health
University of Washington Medical Center — Research Assistant2023 – 2023Public Health
University of Washington Medical Center — Research Coordinator2023 – Present
Arts
Curtis Senior High School
Painting2017 – 2019
Public services
Advocacy
University of Washington- Public Health-Global Health Capstone Project — Lead editor/ investigator/ speaker for podcast2022 – 2023Volunteering
HuskyAdapt — Volunteer2022 – PresentVolunteering
Seattle Children's Hospital — Rehabilitation Services Volunteer2020 – 2022Volunteering
Tacoma Rescue Mission — Volunteer2020 – 2021Volunteering
ROOTs: Young Adult Shelter — Volunteer2022 – 2023
Future Interests
Advocacy
Politics
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
James B. McKillip Scholarship for Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is important to me because of the community-based values I saw in my career. Every gym I have visited has physical therapy clinics hosting information sessions on body care and management, connecting to pre-physical therapy students with Q&A sessions, and even bridging pro-bono-based clinics throughout my neighborhood.
For me, it was my mother who heavily shaped why community care is imperative for my future career in physical therapy. When my mother was first diagnosed with lymphoma, navigating her best care plan was complex. During this time, I drove my mother to appointments and translated between the provider and her. But, there was a disconnect between what she knew was best and what her physician advised. My mother’s anxiety heightened; she sought out Vietnamese-based resources. However, these resources led her to choose Eastern herbs and practices over prescriptions and therapy.
Being the first in my family to be born American, I realized I was disconnected from my heritage. To combat this, I connected my mother with credible Vietnamese resources to guide her in managing post-care treatment. It was a connection that helped bridge her uncertainties. This experience made me realize how foreign Western medicine can be. Her experience illustrates how patients can feel invisible in the line of sight of health care, whether it is due to language barriers or cultural beliefs.
My background, with my familial responsibilities and degree in public health, has only taught me to build a passion for looking to provide accessibility in health care. I am a candidate who has the introspection of personal growth and skills that can work towards building empathy and trust for those I serve. I continued this skill through my mentorship experience for first-generation students via WASOS and Mentorship Power for Success at UW. I am a candidate who has continued my efforts toward community knowledge and engagement.
With the community connections that physical therapy is based on, I would like to contribute to building a community that is inclusive to all identities, no matter citizen status, insurance coverage, or language. I had the opportunity to serve houseless shelters in my neighborhood, and I hope to bring my curiosity to understanding others' lived experience with care. I hope to work on building more pro-bono clinics near my hometown with examples I have encountered from-- University Street Medicine, Vietnam Health Clinic, and SeaMar clinics. With my public health degree, I had established connections when I was building my podcast in addressing health inequities and speaking on what it meant to serve for others. As an aspiring provider, I strive to connect with the community unfamiliar with Western medicine by providing evidence-based treatment to ease their doubts about treatment. This drove my passion for providing patient education in the comfort of their understanding and language to bridge the disparity of knowledge. I hope to bring the means for community health education, even if it is virtual or in-session clinic workshops, to my neighborhood. For any bureaucratic change, there needs to be someone at the local level to contribute first.