Hello, my name is Joseph Armstrong.
I am a 2nd year Physician Assistant student at Indiana State University and I am a veteran. I joined the military in 2014 and was in the Indiana Army National Guard for the duration of my service. My main job was a Combat Medic or 68 Whiskey.
I initially decided to join the Army shortly after I left high school. At that time, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I was always drawn to the military and the medical field. I knew that I wanted to serve in some capacity and that the military had many benefits to offer. I then decided to join the Army as it gave me the opportunity to serve, provided my first job in the medical field, and helped pay for most of my undergraduate degree. Over the 6 years I was in, I worked with several different health care professionals including Physician Assistants (PA). After seeing the abilities of a PA-C and what they can do, I decided to pursue a career as a PA. As I was exploring different PA programs throughout the country, I found Indiana State University.
What drew me to the program at Indiana State University was that it was in my home state of Indiana, its smaller class size (of 30 individuals), the program has a high first time PANCE pass rate, I would have the ability to complete my clinical rotations throughout different states in the country (if that was my choice), and the program was more family and community focused while remaining located in a more rural area of the country. As a result, I knew I would get a great education from a well-respected and accredited school. I am very proud of the time I have spent with the Army and I would recommend Indiana State University to anyone who is interested in becoming a Physician Assistant.
Meet our next Indiana State University's PA Program's Veteran Connection - Casey McMahan