Born in 2004, Duc lost his father to cancer and was born with a congenital deformity in his right foot that caused frequent pain. His mother supported his schooling by working as a housekeeper, a dishwasher, and a stainless‑steel fabricator.

Motivated to ease the pain he and his mother experienced, Duc enrolled in the Rehabilitation Technology program at Hanoi University of Public Health. During his first year he avoided rote memorisation, instead asking probing questions and applying evidence‑based reasoning to master core concepts.

Because of this deep learning habit, Duc graduated as the top student of his entire cohort, a distinction he shared with his mother after her shift ended. He waited until his mother finished work before telling her the good news.

In 2026 Duc proposed a Back‑PAQ questionnaire study on young people’s beliefs about lower‑back pain, which earned second prize in the university’s student scientific research competition. He also helped standardise the STarT Back Screening Tool and co‑authored a nutrition paper published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food in 2025.

Today Duc works as a practical instructor in rehabilitation at Hanoi University of Public Health. He encourages students to keep asking questions and to apply what they learn, and he runs a community health project that has attracted more than 150 student participants, showing that determination and a focus on true understanding can turn personal hardship into academic excellence and a promising health‑care career.