May 20, 2013

Lindsey Leibig, 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, has wanted to practice medicine since childhood. After September 11, 2001, she started to think about joining the military and began to realize that she had the opportunity to be part of something bigger than herself. When she was accepted into the Physician Assistant Program at the Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions, she went to a military recruiter and was selected for a scholarship. Today, Leibig works in Alexandria, Virginia as a Family Practice Physician Assistant for the United States Air Force.

“I have the privilege of taking care of some remarkable folks that sacrifice so that I can live in freedom. That's not something to take for granted, so I chose to give back,” she said. Leibig has more than 1,300 patients that are solely her responsibility at the USAF family health clinic. She sees a minimum of 90 patients weekly in addition to her administrative responsibilities. “To say that life is busy is an understatement,” she said.

Her husband, who she hasn’t seen since Thanksgiving, is currently deployed with the Army. Her younger brother serves in the Air Force, as well. “I have many dear friends that have served and suffered great loss. The bottom line is that this is all very personal to me,” she said.

Simply knowing why she’s in the military without reservation helps her on the hard days when she needs something to grasp onto and push herself forward. Leibig said that working as a Physician Assistant with the USAF isn’t easy, but it is an honor. Leibig said that Memorial Day is important because it honors those that have gone before us who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Although the day is recognized by a long weekend and a Monday off from work, she does not want people to lose sight of what this day actually means.

“It's about more than a Facebook shout out to those that serve. It's a somber day that should honor not only those who have died for our freedom, but also the families that supported them along the way,” she said. “It's not about beer and burgers, or a day on the lake… it's about the men and women that died so that we can live with the freedoms we experience every day.”