Tien Vo
CEO
Vo Medical Center
Calexico, CA USA
“Be a community advocate. You will achieve your goals faster and easier.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationTien Vo
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I came to the U.S. from Vietnam with my family as refugees in 1992 when I was 16 years old.
While in high school, I had to simultaneously take community college classes to catch up, learn English, and earn enough credits to graduate.
After three years of community college, I completed my undergraduate degree at UC Riverside.
I wanted to go to medical school but my English was not good enough for a U.S. school, so I went to Ross University School of Medicine in the Caribbean.
I was a good student and worked hard, so I was able to come back to the U.S. after two years to complete a rotation in Miami, Florida.
Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York accepted me for my residency after I completed my Step 1 exam.
I passed my licensing exams, completed my residency, and stayed in New York as an internal medicine doctor until my wife wanted to move somewhere warmer.
We eventually ended up in El Centro, California, where I worked at El Centro Regional Medical Center before starting my own clinic.
Education
High School
Bachelor
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
Doctorate
Medicine
Ross University School of Medicine
Medicine
Ross University School of Medicine
Career
CEO
I diagnose and treat patients at my own medical clinic.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Medicine
Science
Helping People
Day to Day
I first look at my schedule for the day and note how many meetings I have. Then I go to my office and start seeing patients. I see patients three days a week and have internal meetings with my staff two days a week. I also have meetings with sales reps, which often happen during lunch. I'll see more patients until around 6 p.m. I have more meetings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and fit in dinner whenever I can. I spend a couple of hours with my family and then cap off the night by responding to emails.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Find volunteer opportunities in the field you're interested in. That's the best way to discover what it's really like to work in the field. If you want to pursue a career in the medical field, make sure you consistently keep up-to-date with the latest medical news every day.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You want to become a doctor? Are you serious? You don't even speak English."
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation Immigrant
Interviewed By
Caring Forward
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