Tracy Branch, CAPT, DHSc, CPH, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, was motivated to pursue a career in medicine because of personal childhood healthcare experiences. Her first career impressions resulted from interactions with her family physician who saw patients from cradle-to-grave and regardless of their ability to pay. She knew at a young age she wanted to pursue a career in medicine and was motivated to succeed.
While volunteering at a Veterans Affairs nursing home, CAPT Branch met a female physician practicing radiology. Taking Branch under her wing, she introduced her to countless other African American health professionals to assist her with her professional journey. These healthcare professionals who looked like her and shared similar backgrounds as her became her mentors and offered exposure to numerous health careers. Shadowing and volunteering expanded her network of supporters. As a single parent committed to her full-time employment and her educational goals, she entered the Catholic Medical Center (CMC) Physician Assistant (PA) Program. At that time, CMC, a hospital-based program, was affiliated with St. John’s University and was eventually integrated into the St. Vincent’s CMC PA Program.
CAPT Branch received a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship that eased school expenses. She worked full-time as a case manager during her first year of school to support her family. The PA program’s faculty were a huge support to her during this time.
After Tracy Branch graduated PA school in 2000, Commander (CDR) Gilbert Rose (Retired), successfully recruited CAPT Branch to direct commission into the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). By commissioning, CAPT Branch was able to fulfill her NHSC service obligation.
Upon donning the uniform, she arrived at her first duty station, the Division of Immigration Health in Florence, Arizona, which at that time, was housed within the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). It was at this duty station that CAPT Branch met her spouse of 20-years. She then transferred to the Indian Health Service in South Dakota, then to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in New York.
After New York, CAPT Branch transferred to a free health clinic in Kansas City, Missouri as a HRSA Ready Responder. While a Ready Responder, CAPT Branch was tapped to then lead the Office of the Secretary, Region VII Office of Minority Health (OMH) responsible for a region of 4 states and 10 tribal nations with 14 million residents. After 5-years in the regional office, CAPT Branch transferred to the OMH national office in Rockville, MD to lead national initiatives. Currently, CAPT Branch is the Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnerships within the Bureau of Primary Health Care at HRSA.
One of CAPT Branch’s fond recollections was her first deployment in 2006. She was a liaison for the USPHS Region VII Incident Response Coordination Team (IRCT), responsible for submission and tracking of service and resource requests from the state to the Public Health and Medical Services function (ESF #8). This initial deployment required collaboration with the Missouri State Emergency Operations Center. Wanting to do a good job, CAPT Branch pulled an all-nighter, learning the incident command structure, protocols, and documents to present her best self with mission management activities.
She also deployed as one of the first USPHS PAs on joint service humanitarian missions in partnerships with the United States Navy Pacific Partnerships and Continuing Promise. Serving aboard gray hull amphibious assault vessels retrofitted to provide surgical services to residents of Vietnam, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon and Marshall Islands, Trinidad, Tobago, and Ghana. It was during these missions that she practiced tropical medicine and developed leadership skills by leading interservice multidisciplinary medical teams.
Another highlight for Tracy Branch was being selected for the Liberia, West Africa, Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU) Team One during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. MMU-1 team established an Ebola treatment unit for healthcare providers infected with the Ebola virus. MMU-1 wrote novel protocols for holistic care and introduced the first use of interventional medical treatments to include phlebotomy, intravenous medication administration, and revising clinical protocols for the austere environment. The housing of Ebola patients within an enclosed environment resulted in the need for air conditioning, which led to challenges. The excessive chlorine powder and water exposure precipitated respiratory effects in both patients and staff and created the failure of the MMU’s wood floors. Additional challenges for the team included difficulty procuring personal protective equipment and a 2-hour a day roundtrip drive to the team’s housing units. The adversity experienced by the 68-member team established a familiar bond that continues to this day, with MMU-1 team members gathering annually for a reunion.
As CAPT Branch navigated positions, deployments, and promotions, she completed a master’s degree, a doctoral degree, and certifications in public health, and professional life, health, and wellness coaching. She tries to repay all the coaching she received throughout her career by helping junior officers progress through theirs. To her, the Commissioned Corps is more than simply rank, uniforms and customs; it’s becoming a subject matter expert, forging transferable skills, and being prepared for mission-based service.
During her down time, Tracy Branch enjoys tending to her honeybee colonies, working her small farm, and coaching early career individuals.
CAPT Branch remains grateful as her life and career have far exceeded anything she previously envisioned. At one point in her early career, CAPT Branch recalls “being really salty” about the things that CDR Rose promised. Now, looking back on her career she finds he was spot on. CAPT Branch sees her legacy as being an officer who was genuine, supportive, dependable and someone who made a difference.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by CAPT Robin Hunter-Buskey and CAPT Tracy Branch and was submitted to the Society in December 2024. Photographs are courtesy of CAPT Tracy Branch.
When using information from this biography, please provide the proper citation as described within the PA History Society Terms of Use.
Disclaimer: The authors’ views do not reflect the official policy of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, or the U.S. Government.
