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Crystal Nguyen

495

Bold Points

2x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

Bio

Hi! My name is Crystal Nguyen and I am a first-generation student to Vietnamese immigrant parents. I grew up in Houston, more specifically near Chinatown, where I grew up surrounded by my rich culture and background. As I navigated school, I struggled with my identity as an Asian American, but later, it solidified my career choice in pursing physical therapy. As only 7% of physical therapist are Asian, with a lower percentage being female, I hope to become the one of many who will help bridge this gap and to become a contributing member to my community and society.

Education

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
2022 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

Texas A & M University-College Station

Bachelor's degree program
2017 - 2021
  • Majors:
    • Public Health
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Hospital & Health Care

    • Dream career goals:

      physical therapist

    • Physical Therapist Technician

      Houston Methodist Hospital
      2021 – 20221 year

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Sigma Phi Omega — Organizer
      2018 – 2019

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Fairbairn FisioTherapy Fund
    1. Are you a "one" or part of a "two"? To clarify, do you live against the world or with and for the world? Often times, it's reasonable to think that we live for ourselves and that there's no need to involve and help others in our lives -or rather not in our direct personal life. However, I strongly believe that mindset not only prevents the elevation of others' lives, but that it also slows our growth into becoming a better human and whole; it is through helping others that we can find balance, happiness, and fulfillment in life. It exposes us to people and their experiences and environments that may differ vastly from us, providing an opportunity to enrich ourselves and leave that bubble of isolation and self-thinking. When you help others, you share what is yours to them, whether it is a helping hand, advice, or a couple bucks, that act of giving is never one sided; while you may not receive that amount in money or time back, you earn love and fulfillment. The person you help respects you and you are content in knowing you did something for a greater purpose than for yourself. And you feel good. Not only that, but you gain more by helping others because when you elevate someone, you link a chain in the possibility of them helping others and so on. If you think about it, we and society wouldn't have advanced if it weren't for that chain having more links added. 2. Xin Chao! Hello! Howdy! These are the greetings that help illustrate my life's timeline. I am a Vietnamese, first generation student that was born and raised in Houston. English was my first lesson in the American school system and the path from there has led me to my latest accomplishment: graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health. My success is attributed to my family's endless acts of altruism and comprises many challenging and inspiring moments of blending my Vietnamese background with my American upbringing. Through I grew up with an interest in many fields, but ultimately decided on physical therapy as it encompasses my love for teaching (discovered through my tutoring jobs), interest in healthcare (specifically physiology), and fulfills the checkbox of a career encompassing service with establishment of life-long, genuine bonds. As someone who thrives on problem-solving and being a contributing member of my community I believe that physical therapy is the most suitable career choice for me. In addition, as an ambitious individual with strengths of diplomacy and honesty, I believe I can bridge existing gaps in the profession. While my goal is to become a well-rounded, forward-thinking physical therapist and to help everyone I encounter, my main aspiration to become a physical therapist is to bring awareness about the field to the Vietnamese community. Based on my experiences and research, I recognized the Vietnamese community has little knowledge about the field despite the high need for it. This gap is perpetuated by the lack of representatives, misinformation, and culture mistrust. I aspire to bridge this gap by becoming a trusted member of and positive influence in my community. In addition, as I still love teaching, I hope that I can gather experiences and eventually teach future DPT students as well! 3. Five years from now, I hope to be building my confidence and skills as a graduated and working physical therapist. Although I do not know what setting I'll be in, I hope that I am contributing my skills in a manner that is helping patients and my workplace. Personally, I hope that I'm at the part of my life where I am at peace with who I am as a person; I hope to be confident in what I bring to the table and to not doubt my abilities as much as I do know. In my community, I hope that I am someone who is able to offer my services to make them proud and comfortable in receiving physical therapy.