Our featured McQueary College of Health and Human Services (MCHHS) faculty member is Tarah Trokey. She is an assistant professor in the School of Health Care Professions at Missouri State University and an alumna.
Let’s get to know more about her.
Where are you originally from?
The good ol’ 417 – Springfield, Missouri.
What brought you to Missouri State University and how long have you been here?
My beginnings with Missouri State began long ago in 2005 when I tore my ACL as a high school athlete. I had an awesome athletic trainer who diagnosed my injury. He also educated me on what an ATC (certified athletic trainer) is and showed me the impact trainers have on athletic injuries and their role in the health care team. That athletic trainer was Dr. Allan Liggett, EdD, ATC, who also teaches here at Missouri State as a clinical professor.
I then toured the athletic training program in Kampeter (which will always be the Professional Building to me) and I came to Missouri State as a student. I fell in love with the field of sports medicine! I ended up completing a bachelor’s in athletic training, followed by a post-professional master’s in sports medicine and athletic training. After practicing as an ATC for several years, I was drawn to the physician assistant studies (PA) program here and yet again, I found myself a student at Missouri State. After becoming a PA in 2017, I moved to Oregon. I lived and practiced as a PA there for five years. I returned back to the Springfield area and was practicing urgent care and sports medicine when a colleague told me about a teaching opportunity here. I got the position and I’ve been a full-time professor in PA studies for a little over a year.
Where else have you worked before joining Missouri State?
I worked for several years as an ATC before attending PA school at Mercy Sports Medicine. As a PA, I’ve practiced in Oregon, Washington and Missouri in primary care, urgent care and sports medicine and I still practice clinically in university health at Magers Health and Wellness Center on campus.
What inspired you to pursue your field of study and work in higher education?
Two primary events changed my life, prompting me to seek a career in medicine.
- My brother’s journey with thyroid cancer in middle school
- My own recovery journey after sustaining a knee injury to my ACL as a young athlete
As far as higher education, I’ve always loved school and talking about medicine. I love to dissect complex medical cases and learn anything new. Now, I get to continue practicing medicine and help other people develop into PAs. What a gift!
How has your role as a PA – and now as an educator – evolved since you first started your career?
I believe both have expanded exponentially. I’m fascinated by each patient and their uniqueness. I’m fascinated by medicine. I believe my role as a PA and an educator go hand in hand. It’s really about meeting both the patient and each student where they’re at. Both are an art that will never be perfected, but always a work in progress.
I’m seeking new and innovative ways to open the learner’s minds and to collaborate here on campus. We don’t have to do things the way it has always been done or fit into a particular mold. Being a photocopy is truly boring. We need to be different if we expect any changes in the health care industry in years to come, and I believe young people will hold the answers to that! I’m just honored to be a part of each student’s journey. Every day, I leave work feeling challenged and inspired to help scholars (and myself) to strive for greatness.
What courses do you teach in MCHHS?
In PA studies, the rest of the faculty and I often co-teach for the best learner experience. PA school curriculum is designed like a mini medical school model and highly rigorous. I’m involved in both the clinical year and didactic year. I teach in Clinical Practice Issues Seminar, Problem-Based Learning, Clinical Assessment I and II, Clinical Medicine I and II, Clinical Problem-Solving Seminar and other duties.
How does continuing to practice clinically influence the way you teach PA students?
Practicing clinically is the essence of how I keep the fire burning for teaching. Without practicing, there’s no way to remain relevant and challenge myself and students as well. One must walk the walk if you want to talk the talk.
How do you see the PA profession growing/changing in the next few years, and how should students prepare for that future?
As seen across many health care disciplines, obtaining a higher-level degree continues to grow as many doctoral PA programs are becoming accredited and being advertised nationwide. The PA profession continues to hold a master’s level degree as the terminal degree, but it’ll be interesting to see if that remains in years to come.
Clinically, autonomy with PAs continues to grow, and the expectation of the new graduate PA continues to increase in demand. As the profession continues to be competitive, obtaining
postgraduate fellowship experience or additional certifications beyond the required national certification exam may continue to rise as more PAs enter the job landscape. One of the ways the Missouri State PA program is fostering success for future graduates is adding the skill of POCUS (point of care ultrasound) to our curriculum, which can be lifesaving and easily performed on patients at the bedside.
What are you looking forward to most this spring?
The PA program just welcomed 34 new students who began the two-year PA school journey in January. They’re now learning how to perform a full head toe physical exam. I’m most excited to see each of them flourish and grow into professionals who may one day care for myself or a family member.
What do you do for fun or leisure?
Anything active like yoga, running, lifting and rock climbing! Oh, and I love a hot coffee any time.
