Photo of Tina Nguyen
Medical Student, Louisiana State University School of Medicine-New Orleans
LA ’18
She/Her
For Tina Nguyen, patient care means learning about both their medical needs and who they are outside of the hospital. As a fourth-year medical student at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, she has had the opportunity to do most of her training in hospitals and clinics in the New Orleans area as she prepares to become an obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN).
“While it may feel like reproductive rights are in danger now more than ever, birthing people, especially those who identify as BIPOC and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds have always had poor health outcomes,” expressed Nguyen. “It is my belief that doctors are responsible for identifying health disparities and serving patients in ways that alleviate those inequities. All of these issues are incredibly complex, but I pursued medicine so that I could understand them with the hope that I can provide the best, most competent and equitable healthcare for my patients.”
Nguyen also knows the value she brings to her field as a first-generation Vietnamese American.
“Growing up, I often had to accompany family members to doctor’s visits because they were afraid that they would not understand their doctor or that they would not be able to convey their concerns,” reflected Nguyen. “While I know that Vietnamese Americans make up a small percentage of our population in the US, there are pockets of us in communities like New Orleans who deserve to have choice when it comes to the physicians that we see, especially physicians who understand their cultural norms, look like them, and speak their language.”
Nguyen’s commitment to community is a common thread connecting her professional aspirations and her academic pursuits. During her time at Tulane, she was a Newcomb Scholar and served as President of Newcomb Senate, Co-Producer of Hers, Theirs, Ours, and a Newcomb Big. Today, Nguyen is a member of the Newcomb Alumnae Association Board of Directors.
“The courses that I took as a Newcomb Scholar pushed me to see myself as a capable leader, and the support that I had from Newcomb in my undergraduate years gave me incredible confidence in my abilities,” said Nguyen. “The background that I have in Gender and Sexuality Studies allows me to understand the world that we live in and provides me with a framework that I can use to solve the problems that I see in today’s healthcare system. My time with Newcomb and at Tulane, from professors to peers, taught me a lot about how to be a Feminist in today’s world, and I carry that with me in all of my work.”
Over the course of the next decade, Nguyen looks forward to all the lessons she will learn as a new doctor, and she is open to specializing even more.
“Regardless of where I am or what I’m doing, I hope that I’ll be providing all people with the reproductive healthcare that they want and need.”