Craig Jorden Jr.
RFS Psychiatry
Tampa, FL USA
"Do it for the passion. The money will come."
Career Roadmap
Craig's work combines: Medicine, Science, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
The military was a good path for me. It helped me understand the importance of higher education, building connections, and assistance with education benefits. I recommend joining a medical profession in the Air Force. It's also really beneficial to find a mentor to help guide and support you on your journey.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Associate's Degree
Science
Hillsborough Community College
Bachelor's Degree
Nursing
South University
Graduate Degree
Science
University of South Alabama
Doctorate
Nursing
University of South Alabama
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I joined the Air Force Reserve in 2009 to serve my country and pay for college when I couldn’t afford school on my own.
2.
After returning from deployment, I enrolled in nursing school, seeking stability and a path to purpose.
3.
Working in inpatient psych opened my eyes to how many people lacked quality mental health care after discharge.
4.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was deployed to New York City and it changed everything for me in regards to bedside treatment—I saw trauma that left me emotionally burned out.
5.
Coming back from New York, I worked at the VA and realized I was already treating both physical and mental health—so I leaned into psych.
6.
I discovered I had undiagnosed ADHD in grad school, and that journey helped me better understand myself and my patients.
7.
I launched RFS Psychiatry to serve at-risk youth and veterans who are often overlooked by traditional systems.
8.
In May 2024, I earned my doctorate in mental health nursing, which really affirmed everything I’ve worked for.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
Psych nurses aren't real nurses.
How I responded:
I've heard people say that psych nurses aren't real nurses because they don't provide medical care. I can see why people would infer that because when I was a psych nurse, I didn't do a lot of medical care—I mostly did assessments and administered medications. But that doesn't mean we're not real nurses. I typically just let those negative comments roll off me.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I have ADHD but wasn't aware or diagnosed until grad school. This made school pretty difficult, especially because I wasn't utilizing the resources that are there for students with learning disabilities because I didn't know I needed them.