In this issue, we speak with Richie Tran, a first-generation registered nurse who is on a mission to provide excellent care, restore dignity, and build trust where needed.

“Being part of NMF’s legacy feels like stepping into a lineage of healers who rewrote what was possible for students like me.”

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?

I was inspired by the quiet strength of my mother, a Vietnamese refugee who survived war, poverty, and displacement so her children could have a future. Growing up, I watched her avoid healthcare not out of neglect, but out of fear of language barriers, unaffordable bills, and not being understood. I learned early that illness does not occur in isolation; it is shaped by trauma and a lifetime of being unseen.

Q: How might your journey to and through medicine be different without NMF?

Through funding, mentorship, and community, NMF reaffirmed that my lived experiences – as the son of refugees, a first-generation student, and a clinician shaped by injustice – are not obstacles but rather assets to medicine. Without NMF, my path would have been slower, lonelier, and financially overwhelming. With NMF, I walk this path knowing that I am part of a legacy of healers who understand that justice is inseparable from healthcare.

Q: What practices or ideas have you implemented because of NMF and its community?

NMF taught me that leadership in medicine must be rooted in advocacy and authenticity. Because of NMF, I began integrating community-informed care into every clinical encounter, asking not just “What is your illness?” but also “What shaped it?” “What threatens your ability to heal?” “How do we restore autonomy?”

NMF’s community showed me that healing extends beyond the clinic walls. It lives in policy, mentorship, and creating pathways for those who come after us.

Q: Describe a challenge in your medical journey that you are proud to have overcome.

Growing up navigating poverty, language barriers, and the model minority myth, I felt I was playing catch-up with no roadmap. Being rejected from universities and starting at community college felt like confirmation of those fears. But community college became my turning point. I rebuilt myself academically, emotionally, and spiritually. It taught me resilience not as a trait, but as a daily choice.

Q: How do you define health excellence, and what does it look like in action?

Health excellence means seeing the whole person, not just the diagnosis. It looks like honoring trauma histories, addressing structural barriers, and ensuring that the care plan reflects the patient’s culture, fears, strengths, and values. Excellence is not just curing illness – it is restoring dignity, empowering autonomy, and building trust in medically underserved communities.

Q: What does it mean to you to be part of NMF’s story and worldwide community?

Being part of NMF’s legacy feels like stepping into a lineage of healers who rewrote what was possible for students like me. It means knowing I am part of a family bound by purpose, justice, and love for the communities we serve. For the next 80 years, I hope NMF continues expanding opportunities for students from refugee, immigrant, low-income, and medically underserved backgrounds – so the future of medicine reflects the richness of the communities it serves.

Richie Tran earned his Associate of Arts in Psychology from Atlantic Cape Community College and, while earning his Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University, volunteered as a peer mentor with GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) to empower at-risk students in education toward careers.

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