Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Neo Greene III
NORFOLK, Va. - USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s (CVN 69) Physician Assistant (PA), Lt. Carolan Whitney, (right), a Benicia, California, native, was recently named Navy Medicine’s Junior Physician Assistant Officer of the Year for 2018.
According to Whitney’s award citation, written by Rear Adm. Anne M. Swap, commander, Navy Medicine East, her achievement is a testament to her outstanding clinical expertise, strong organizational skills, impressive leadership and mentoring ability.
Ike’s Senior Medical Officer, Cmdr. Wayne Burr, echoed that sentiment. “She is just what you want to see in an officer as far as good leadership, approachability, dedication to her profession and she is certainly sharp,” Burr said. “She is an outstanding leader and puts in a lot of work for both the Ike and the medical community. She empowers others to do well in their own positions and encourages them to become PA’s in the Navy.”
Whitney joined the Navy in August 2015 and was eager to embrace the challenge.
“I’ve always wanted to join the Navy,” Whitney said. “When I went to PA school, I found out there was an opportunity to join after I finished. I joined because I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives, and I really wanted to help. I knew that corpsmen helped our sailors and Marines, and I wanted to help mentor them and teach them and go out to do the direct work with our patients and service members. That’s just what I felt I wanted to do with my life.”
Whitney competed against junior PA’s across the Navy and credits her hard work and dedication putting her at the top.
“I try to work hard every day, and do my best for my patients, my fellow medical service corps officers, and our corpsmen,” Whitney said. “I try to get involved and do good things for others, and everyone I interact with is a reflection of that.”
Whitney transfers soon, and her follow-on assignment is an emergency medicine PA fellowship in San Diego, where Burr expects her to continue to grow not only as a PA but as a leader in the medical service corps.
“Now that she is leaving us I hope she continues on a leadership trajectory,” Burr said. “She has been sharpening her skills and is putting those leadership tools in her tool box for her next command.”
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