MADERA, Calif. – Trevor MacDonald’s upbringing in the small town of Herald, California, taught him the value of service. Today, that sense of duty guides him through two vital roles: caring for children in the emergency department at Valley Children’s Hospital, and preparing to serve overseas as a medic in the military.
MacDonald joined the United States Air Force Reserves straight out of high school in 2019, where he serves as an airman in the 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Travis Air Force Base.
His official title is “aerospace medical technician,” which he says is “just a fancy way to say he’s a medic.”
That role has led MacDonald to various trainings at military hospitals across the country, where he learned skills that would translate directly to his role in the emergency department at Valley Children’s.
“The emergency department here is something truly special,” MacDonald said. “Having the perspective of training in other military emergency departments made me really grateful for the work culture here.”
His work ethic shone through as he picked up hours and worked as much as possible on his way to becoming a registered nurse.
That experience dovetailed with another commitment when MacDonald got news earlier this year that he would be deployed to the Middle East, where he’ll be available to provide short-term care and stabilization for patients awaiting evacuation.
With graduation behind him, he’s now experiencing the dual demands of being both an emergency nurse and a reservist – something this current deployment has made real. He credits his emergency department leadership and colleagues for their support.
“They’ve been incredibly understanding and encouraging,” MacDonald said.
Overseas, the lines between nurse and medic may blur. MacDonald expects to function in both capacities, using advanced medic skills such as intubation, chest tube placement, needle decompressions and emergency surgical airways, while also applying nursing expertise in blood transfusions, medication management, wound care and team coordination.
If he does see any traumatic injuries on deployment, those cases will demand calm, precision and compassion. Whether serving in a pediatric emergency room or across the globe, MacDonald’s mission remains the same: to serve with skill and purpose.
“I really feel like this is what I’m meant to do,” he said.
And in answering two calls – one local, one global – he continues to prove it.
