Research
Co author
“Financial Support for Families with Children Suffering from Rare Diseases: Some Policy Recommendations in Vietnam”
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Supervisor: MSc. Nguyen Van Quan, Academy of Policy and Development
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Published @ International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR)
As a former rare-disease patient, my regular hospital visits also brought me into contact with other children living with rare diseases, many of whom had very different experiences from mine. I became curious about what their lives looked like beyond the hospital, especially how their families coped with the costs of long-term treatment.
This curiosity eventually led me to my first research project in health financing, which involved interviewing eight families at the National Hospital of Pediatrics to examine gaps in existing financial support policies. I was struck by the extent to which their financial burdens extended beyond medical bills: one family lost half of its income to caregiving, while another had sold its home and relied on lotteries to sustain treatment. These findings led me to question what policymakers actually count as healthcare costs and informed my recommendations for expanded insurance coverage and a dedicated national rare-disease fund.
Research Assistant
“Orphan Drugs and Financial Challenges: Four Solution Pillars and Application Recommendations”
& “Framework for the Development and Official Adoption of a National Rare Disease List in Vietnam”
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Supervisor: Pham Nu Hanh-Van, PhD, Vice Dean of Pharmacy, Phenikaa University
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Presented @ Vietnam's 2026 National Rare Disease Day symposium
During Research 1, I met a family relying on humanitarian aid to afford their child's enzyme replacement therapy. We focus on the scenario that would occur if funding ran out and access to essential medicines became uncertain.
Preparing these presentations shifted my focus from family costs to policy decisions. I compared orphan-drug reimbursement in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and studied Malaysia’s efforts to develop a national rare-disease list. Creating the list proved difficult because many hospital submissions lacked adequate clinical data, while official drug listing did not guarantee insurance coverage. I then explored alternative financing, particularly risk-sharing agreements and how policymakers allocate limited healthcare budgets.
Co author
“Integrating Ethical Values into High School Economics”
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Supervisor: Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tam, Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences
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Presented @ National Scientific Conference Proceedings (pp. 296–319)
Competing in the Vietnamese and International Economics Olympiads made me curious about how exam questions shape students' ethical values. I researched the educational philosophy behind economics competitions, focusing on healthcare questions in past IEO papers and business cases about health insurance and vaccine pricing.
One case asked students to price a COVID-19 vaccine while balancing commercial interests with access for poorer countries. It showed me how question framing can influence ideas of fairness and economic desirability, revealing values embedded in seemingly objective problems.
Economics Olympiad
Vietnamese Economics Olympiad (2 Consecutive Years)
I was selected as one of 130 finalists from over 350,000 participants across more than 30 countries, earning a fully funded trip to represent Vietnam at the international round in Greece. Our national delegation ranked second overall, and I received a $4,000 prize from VIMASS, Vietnam's sponsor, in recognition of my performance.
In 2026, I returned as the team's Economics coach, mentoring new members and guiding them through past exam papers, drawing on my experience as a former competitor.
Beyond the competition, I developed two unexpected obsessions in Greece: "pita gyros" (a sandwich with grilled meat and yogurt sauce) and the little blue evil eye bracelets. Even better were the friendships I made with fellow young economists from around the world, some have even invited me to join them in Greece again next year.
Project
The Medconomic
My grandmother has lived with severe diabetes for years. Though often considered manageable, diabetes brings mounting costs for checkups, medication, and transportation. I also saw older patients misled by ads for unverified treatments. These concerns led me to found Medconomics, a student-led initiative tackling financial and social barriers to healthcare.
During our first season in Sơn La and Lào Cai, we partnered with local officials to provide health screenings, helped elderly patients access medication through transportation and referrals, and interviewed families about hidden healthcare costs. We also taught health economics to over 50 students, who shared what they learned with their communities.
Living with a rare disease, I experienced how others’ attitudes changed after learning my diagnosis. Though often well-intentioned, their concern made me uncomfortable. In season 2, I sought to challenge assumptions about children with rare diseases and foster a deeper understanding of their experiences. We hosted a webinar with a pediatric physician, supported a national rare-disease policy symposium and their running competition, and held an awareness exhibition that raised $1,200 for young patients.
Medconomics taught me that improving healthcare access means understanding practical barriers and respecting each person’s experience of illness. Often, the central challenge is not the disease, but society’s perception of it.
Hospital Work
Operation Smile Vietnam
As a Student Mission Leader at Operation Smile Vietnam, I worked at E General Hospital and Military Central Hospital 108, welcoming patients from across the country, some traveling hundreds of kilometers for surgery. Through patient interviews, I learned that even when surgery was fully funded, families still faced significant expenses for transportation, meals, and accommodations. Others were hesitant to seek treatment, worried about medical scams or the risks of surgery. For families unfamiliar with the hospitals, navigating these uncertainties could be especially overwhelming.
These conversations inspired ideas for a practical travel and accommodation guide and clearer pre-surgery information to help families understand the program and feel more confident about seeking treatment. I became particularly interested in how operational decisions could better accommodate patients' circumstances, including the practical challenges of reaching the hospital in the first place.
