In this episode of Service to School Stories, host Whitney Cason sits down with Luke Hixson, a U.S. Navy veteran whose journey from the fleet to the Ivy League and now medical school proves that there’s no single path to success after service.

Luke shares how he went from treating Marines as a Navy corpsman to studying neuroscience at Princeton University, and now training to become a physician at Rutgers Medical School. He opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome, failing the MCAT the first time, and finding strength in mentorship and community.

This conversation dives deep into what it means to transition, to persevere, and to keep your purpose front and center, even when the path gets tough. Whether you’re thinking about college, grad school, or med school after the military, Luke’s story is a powerful reminder that your service prepared you for more than you realize.

01:10 – From Tennessee to the Navy

03:00 – “I Was Good at School — I Just Didn’t Like It”

04:50 – Applying to Princeton as a First-Year Veteran

06:20 – Showing Maturity Through Essays

07:45 – Choosing Princeton and Planning for Med School

09:25 – Lining Up the Path to Medicine

11:10 – Early Assurance and the Road to Rutgers

15:30 – The Toughest Challenge: Failing the MCAT

17:15 – Adjusting to Life at Princeton

20:00 – Building a Social Life (and Staying Humble)

23:45 – Dating as a Veteran on Campus

26:20 – Inside the Early Assurance Process

31:45 – Transitioning to Med School

34:30 – Building a New Community at Rutgers

36:45 – Advice for Veterans Pursuing Medicine

38:50 – Closing Reflections

Additional Resources: 

• Work with Service to School (S2S)
• Princeton University
• VetLink Partners 
• Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• Princeton University Health Professions Advising (HPA)
• Early Assurance Program (Princeton–Rutgers)