Launching three careers in a single decade would be daunting to most people. But for Johnny Truong, it made perfect sense.
With an undergraduate degree in health sciences from Simon Fraser University, Johnny started his post-university life as a pharmacy technician in 2009. In his spare time, he volunteered at a nursing home. This experience inspired him to become a nurse.
“I saw the interaction nurses had with their patients and wanted that direct patient care to be part of my career,” says Johnny.
Johnny entered the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Douglas College, graduating in 2014 and going on to work in hospitals as a registered nurse. But it wasn’t long before he decided he wanted to be even more involved in patient care, and become a doctor.
“My experience as a nurse emphasized the importance of providing primary care to improve patient and community well-being, as well as to reduce overall health care costs. As a doctor, I would have more opportunities to effect change in this area,” says Johnny.
In 2015, at 28 years old, Johnny was accepted to several medical schools in the United States, and chose TouroCOM New York. He starts his clinical training this summer, with the aim of practising family medicine. He says his nursing education at Douglas was key to preparing him for the rigours of medical school.
“My nursing education gave me the focus and maturity needed to succeed in medical school. Most importantly, my patient care experience will greatly enhance my abilities to navigate through the hospital and work with an interdisciplinary medical team.”
He says his instructors at Douglas played a big role in shaping his career, too.
“My instructors inspired me to always look beyond the status quo and focus on the bigger picture, which for me meant looking beyond my day-to-day and finding ways to improve health care for my patients.”
Photo by David Denofreo
