Season 21 of The Bachelorette is almost halfway over. There was a chance that it almost never happened, at least not with Jenn Tran. Keep reading to find out why she almost turned it down.

Jenn Tran Opens Up About Medical Career

Jenn Tran revealed as a contestant on The Bachelor that she was in school to become a Physician’s Assistant. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin.

She was in the middle of PA school in Miami, Florida, when she left to film The Bachelor. During a recent chat with MedPage Today, she opened up about what led her to a career in the medical field. She shared that she was inspired by her older brother.

“When I was in high school, my brother was an emergency medical technician (EMT), so he would talk about his experiences all the time, and it just seemed like a really cool thing to do and to be able to help out with. So I joined my local ambulance corps and became an EMT.”

But once she was in college, Jenn Tran realized she didn’t want to spend decades in school to become a doctor. A career as a physician’s assistant seemed more “suitable” to her lifestyle, she added.

Why She Almost Turned Down The Bachelorette

There was a lot of controversy around Jenn Tran being selected as the Bachelorette. In addition to blatant racism from viewers, there was also speculation that she was the third choice after Daisy Kent and Maria Georgas.

But it wasn’t the drama that almost kept Jenn Tran from accepting the role. Her main concern was her school in Miami denying her request to take a temporary leave.

“Yeah, both times — going on “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” — I definitely had to consider PA school at the top of my list of reasons why I wouldn’t be able to go.”

Luckily, the school was more than accommodating. According to Jenn Tran, they let her do a medical rotation in between filming The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

She only has one year of work to do before graduation. Despite what people think online, she plans to return to PA school after the reality show.

“I know where my passions lie and what I’m going to do with my life. And I think it’s OK to follow multiple dreams if you have them and to not take criticism from other people, and to just do what feels best for you.”

She did say that she’s open to other opportuniies that present themselves, such as being a social media influencer. However, her plan has always been to finish her degree and go into the medical profession.