Veterans Corner
Tiffany Tran is a second-year Duke PA student and a former U.S. Army National Guard medic.
In 2013, when I decided to join the U.S. Army National Guard as a medic, I was a meager 100 pounds—barely over the minimum weight to enlist. I doubted myself many times over the course of the six years in my contract. I stood among the ranks of mostly taller and stronger peers and could not shake the feeling of Imposter Syndrome. But still, I completed marksmanship qualifications, ruck marches, obstacle courses, and Army physical fitness tests—surpassing the standards in each instance.
There was one training event I struggled with the most: the last requirement of Basic Combat Training: the 16-kilometer ruck march. For the ruck march, we were required to pack our rucks to be 45 pounds—not including the water in our canteens, the body armor we had to wear or the weapons we had to carry. I remember thinking, “This won’t be too bad.” However, halfway in, my shoulders were aching and my legs felt like they were going to buckle. I wanted to quit and be relieved of my torturous ruck, but I marched through the pain and kept telling myself, “Just over that hill” or “Just past that bend.” I will never forget the euphoria and pride I felt when we finished and the drill sergeants finally called us “soldiers.”
After training, I was sent to my unit where I would serve the remainder of my contract. This was where I met the PA who introduced me to the profession and showed me what I could potentially do and become. This PA was truly generous with his knowledge and would take his time to teach all of the medics on the different cases that walked into the Aid Station. I remember being amazed at how one person could be so well-versed in everything! This was when I decided to work toward PA school so I could follow in my mentor’s footsteps and become as knowledgeable as he was.
Throughout the years serving with the PA and learning everything I could from him, I developed the confidence to think and act independently, even in unfamiliar situations. To build on this knowledge, I wanted to go to a firmly established program that valued the experiences gained as a military medic, so I applied to the Duke PA program. When I was accepted, I felt that everything had paid off and I felt sure of myself.
However, my confidence wavered after I felt the weight of the demanding curriculum. The 16K ruck march is now PA school, and the rucksack is the pile of information I am supposed to be learning. Nevertheless, I knew I chose the right program when the mentors I have gained here show me that they want me to succeed in every way, whether it be having experts in the field come to lecture, or providing us with one-on-one support and guidance.
At the end of my first semester at Duke, I have learned that self-doubt will be the hardest obstacle to overcome. With the same resilience I had as a medic, I remind myself, “Just over that hill” or “Just past that bend.” I know I will feel the same euphoria and pride I felt as a soldier when I see those three letters: PA-C.
Veteran Alumni: Become a Mentor
If you are a veteran graduate and would like to be more involved with the Duke PA program, consider becoming a mentor to incoming Duke PA student veterans or being available to pre-PA students who need shadowing experience. Contact Michael Steigerwald, Jr., MHS, PA-C (’12), at michael.steigerwald@duke.edu, for more information.