Student’s journey to medical school epitomizes chasing the American dream

Catherine Doss

24 Aug 2023

Two women and a man standing side by side outdoors — Roger Luong (at center) is flanked by two of his medical school mentors: Jaclyn Nunziato (at left), associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Renee LeClair, associate professor of basic science education. "Having a support system is so important in medical school," Luong said. "I've been blessed with so many wonderful mentors." Photo by Ryan Anderson for Virginia Tech.

Roger Luong, a second-year student at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM), has overcome challenges almost every step of the way in his desire to be a doctor.

“Opportunity for a better life was what pushed my parents to immigrate to the United States during the Vietnam War. They were chasing the American dream,” he said.

Luong was born in the United States and grew up in San Jose, Calif., but life in an immigrant household was challenging. As the oldest of his generation, Luong was looked upon to be the role model in both his immediate and extended families. One of the biggest challenges was navigating his academic journey.

“Although my parents stressed the importance of education, they lacked the resources and understanding of the education system to guide me along my academic pathway,” Luong said. “Things like preparing an undergraduate application, applying for scholarships, and utilizing other resources for education were all novel to my family.”

A dream put on hold

Luong ended up attending and exceling at the University of California, Berkeley. His sights were set on medical school, but that dream would be a few years off.

Luong took on odd jobs for several years, eventually landing a research position at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Over the next five years, he worked on more than a dozen research projects and was first- or co-author on three publications.

And then it was time to get serious about chasing his ultimate dream.

Luong had taken the medical school entrance exam shortly after college, 12 years earlier, but he didn’t feel the time was right to apply. By the time he was ready to apply, he had to study and take the exam again. In addition, because of the time that had elapsed, he had to retake several required classes.

“One of the biggest things that people don’t realize is that when you’ve been out of academics for so long, jumping back can be extremely challenging, Things like financial considerations, the rigorous curriculum, and new learning modalities made the transition so tough,” Luong said.

A perfect match

Luong had hoped to stay on the West Coast for medical school, but the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke caught his attention and eventually, his heart.

The school had what he was looking for — a small campus with a tightknit group of faculty and students. Friends and mentors quickly made his family members, who were nearly 4,000 miles away, seem not so far.

“I feel blessed to have so many wonderful people supporting and encouraging me,” Luong said.

He jokes about the age difference between him and his classmates: “I was a little worried about being 10 years older, but instead, we’re all so close. I love each and every one of them. My friends surprised me with a dinner for my birthday, which I had never had before.”

Opportunities abound

Luong faced another challenge last spring when he broke his hand within the first few minutes playing in the school’s annual Docs for Morgan fundraising basketball game.

“I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t move my hand,” he said. “Sure enough, it was broken. It was a really unfortunate accident at an even more unfortunate time. A scheduling mix-up had me waiting 18 hours at the hospital before I got in for surgery. Not only that, the surgery was the week before my final exams.”

Luong, though currently uncertain about his specialty choice, said he always knew he wanted to choose a profession in which he could help people. It was either medicine or teaching. Academic medicine seems the best of both worlds.

“Fortunately, my journey did not stop as a college graduate,” he said. “My parents always believed the United States was the land of opportunities, and they were right. When I look back on all the challenges I had to overcome, attending medical school seemed like an impossible goal.

“There were times when I didn’t think I was moving towards my goal, that I would never make it. But hard work and resilience paved the way. Attending VTCSOM so far has been a dream, even if it came more than a decade later. I’m sure this dream will eventually come to an end. For now, I’m just enjoying the ride."

Luong’s parents, Steven and Quyen Luong, said jointly, “We are really proud of Roger. He sacrificed a lot for our family. We are very happy that he still can chase his dream.”