Jarred Millard

Program: 
MD Generalist

Hometown:  
Burns, TN

Undergraduate School and Major:
Middle Tennessee State University, Biology

Specialty/Career Plans:
Undecided

Extracurricular Activities:
Spending time with my wife and two children. Class President.

 

Marital Status:  
Married

Jarred Millard

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Why Quillen 
As soon as my wife and I stepped foot on the Quillen campus it felt like home. Everyone we met treated us like family took a genuine interest in our well-being. They took time to answer all of our many questions and talked to us about what life would be like for me as a student as well as for my family. As I met more Quillen students I kept hearing about the "Quillen Family" and what a supportive environment it was to study medicine as well as raise a family. When I received my acceptance from Quillen my entire family was ecstatic! We have already experienced what it means to be a part of the Quillen Family. From people bringing over a warm meal when one of our kids are sick, to instant friendships, Quillen is home. I would gladly choose Quillen again!

Being a Quillen Student
One of my favorite things about being a student at Quillen is the access I have to faculty and administration. Whenever I have an issue or am struggling with a particular concept, I know that their doors are open. If they happen to be out of the office I know I will receive an email reply within the day, if not the hour. It is very evident that they are both passionate about their jobs/discipline as well as about the success of each student.

Juggling School and Family
Being a medical student is challenging. Being a medical student while also being a husband and father to two young children is challenging but not impossible. I absolutely could not be a successful student, husband, and father without the support of my wife. She is a rockstar. We had a series of long conversations before we started down this journey and made sure we counted the cost and that we were on the same page. Talking to other medical students with families before starting medical school helped us have realistic expectations going into school, which has been helpful. The number one thing that allows me to be successful is communication. Whether it's discussing what days I will have exams, or when I will be home every evening, an open line of communication is essential to keeping us on the same page.

Prior Life
I began working in the healthcare field in 2010 as a paramedic for a 911 service outside of Nashville. I remained in that role until 2015 when I took a position with Vanderbilt LifeFlight as a Critical Care Flight Paramedic. I absolutely loved working as a paramedic! The ability to impact someone on the worst day of their life was a profound privilege. It was during my time as a paramedic that the desire to become a physician was settled in me, and I resigned from my position with Vanderbilt LifeFlight in 2019 to begin medical school. I am so thankful for everything I learned during those 9 years and look forward to building on that knowledge to care for others.

Words of Wisdom
Medical school (and undergrad) is challenging and can be stressful. But you have quite a bit of control over your stress. You don't have to be perfect. Being at the top of the class does not correlate with being the best doctor. Grades do not define me. I refuse to lose sight of the humanity of my patients, my classmates, my faculty and myself. Balance is important. Spending an extra hour studying so that I can score a couple of points higher on a quiz is not worth neglecting to play with my 1-year-old daughter. Choose to enjoy the journey.