2020-2021 Chris Tracz Endowed Scholarship Recipient
People often ask where I’m from and give me either an inquisitive or shocked look when I say Florida. Honestly, I’m shocked too.
I was born and raised there, I went to college there, my family, friends, and fiancé are there… so what is a Floridian doing in the Pacific Northwest?
Sure, I could have gone to school closer to home. But the Pacific Northwest intrigued me, and when I came for my interview at PNWU, I was hooked. I even remember showing up to the lobby first thing that morning and seeing the reflection of the hills in the doors as I was reaching for them. I took a step back, turned around, and took it all in. Hope, PNWU’s Assistant Director of Applications, greeted me outside, making sure the doors weren’t locked since I paused with my hand on the handle. We both laughed at what I had just done. I spent the following weekend hiking through early March winds on the Yakima Skyline Trail and Cowiche Canyon trails, looking forward to my next few years in Washington.
Now three years into my medical school journey, I’m beyond happy with my decision to come to PNWU. I’ve gotten to know some of the best people and mentors I’ve ever met, and have had a life-changing learning experience.
But my decision to move almost 3,000 miles from home for medical school didn’t come without its struggles. I found myself longing for my family, my old friends, and my partner. Some of my family members went through some health issues that I could not be there for. My friends went through tough life experiences, and I could only provide comfort through the phone. I found solace in finding people who were struggling through similar things. And luckily, my cat was with me on my journey.
Today, I’m a third-year student doctor in Great Falls, Montana, applying what I learned the last two years and learning so much more along the way. The biggest lesson I have learned is that empathy and kindness go a long way in patient care. My time at PNWU prepared me for these moments. I am encouraged by my peers, by those I have come in contact with during my medical training, and by those who have supported me through this process, to be humble and grateful to be here.
Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Tracz, for establishing the Chris Tracz Endowed Scholarship, for which I was a recipient this past year. Your selflessness does not go unnoticed and I will continue to honor your son’s commitment to medicine and learning. I appreciate the scholarship committee and our donors for believing in me, and am so grateful for the opportunity to not have to worry so much about my financial challenges as I continue achieving my dreams of becoming an osteopathic physician.
Forever in gratitude,
Jacqueline Chung
Class of 2022