Former Wisconsin Badger Jenn Tran returns to PA school after 'The Bachelorette' and 'Dancing with the Stars'

Jenn Tran is essentially a modern-day Hannah Montana.

The former Wisconsin Badger will be balancing the best of both worlds: Physician assistant school and the life that comes after being a "Bachelor" contestant, "The Bachelorette" and a "Dancing with the Stars" competitor.

While Tran took hiatuses from school for those television stints, she planned to return and finish what she started. Now, she's doing exactly that.

After Tran's mega year and a half-ish, highlighted by "DWTS" — which she called the best time of her life — she spent the past couple of months getting reacquainted with medicine. A few weeks ago, she left Los Angeles for Miami for the final year of her PA program.

It feels crazy, exciting — and a little scary, she told the Journal Sentinel in a phone interview last week.

While she's mainly "hunkering down" in PA school, she said, she also plans to continue exploring content creation with skincare and beauty — other longtime passions.

And, like Ms. Montana, Tran has her own secret of sorts: Her relationship status with her former "DWTS" partner — more on that later.

Here's what Tran's return to PA school has been like, her connection to Wisconsin and a rewind to her TV journey:

What is Jenn Tran's connection to Wisconsin?

Tran transferred in the middle of her sophomore year of college to UW-Madison, where she studied molecular biology.

Tran was in the class of 2020, so her spring commencement was virtual. She returned to Madison in September 2021 for an in-person graduation celebration.

"I'd love to come back at some point," she said last week.

If she does, what will make her must-do list? Culver's for a burger, cheese curds and custard, The Coopers Tavern — where she used to order mini sliders and crème brûlée — Eno Vino — which she said has amazing food and is where she used to work — and a game day.

Jenn Tran's return to physician assistant school

Being out of the medical field for almost a year straight, Tran said, she's spent the past two months studying hard and getting back into the swing of it.

Tran's final year of PA school will be made up of clinical rotations in hospitals, working with patients. After six weeks in a particular specialty, she'll take an exam on it. If she passes, she'll move on to a new rotation.

She's currently in an emergency room rotation, and as of last week when we talked, already had several shifts in.

"Honestly, it's been a really smooth transition back," she said. "I kind of just feel like I picked up right where I left off. It's helpful the hospital I'm working at is one that's a little bit more in a rural area, so I don't feel like a lot of people watch 'The Bachelor' there. I've really just been back to my normal life and it's been really good."

Tran has been drawn to the medical field since she was a child. It's in her blood. Her mom — who viewers were introduced to on "The Bachelorette" — left medical school in Vietnam when she immigrated over to the United States.

"She never wanted me to go into medicine because she knew how grueling a profession it can be and how much of a toll it takes on a person to take care of other people," said Tran, who got her first taste of medicine as an EMT in high school.

Tran loves all that the field entails, especially the way she gets to use her brain to help people. For Tran, some of the best parts are figuring out a patient's symptoms and what they could mean, giving them reassurance and creating the best treatment plan for them.

"It's like figuring out a jigsaw puzzle," she said.

Despite stepping away from medicine for months, she feels more confident with her patients now, having been in the public eye, talking to so many people and doing interviews.

"I think that now, when I walk into a patient's room, I'm just a lot more confident in myself," she said. "Even though I don't know everything yet because I'm still a student, I feel a lot better speaking up when I don't know something. Or, I have to tell them I have to consult with the provider and then let you know. I just feel a lot more confident in myself and just as a student."

Working in the ER reminds Tran of her time as a server — some of which was spent in Wisconsin.

"You're constantly seeing like 10 patients at a time and you have to be on top of it," she said. "Everybody comes in at different times and you have to figure out time management ... I think it's very similar to waiting tables, but on a different scale, obviously."

Jenn Tran's life in Miami: Decorating her new digs and getting back to the spots she's missed

Tran officially moved back Miami and into a new apartment around a month ago. Tran's mom and brother came to town to help her readjust and with the move.

"Decorating has been hard," Tran said. "I'm not an interior designer. I've never claimed to be. It's been torturous."

As a "homebody," she said she's concentrating all of her designing skills on the living room.

"I really just want a nice space to rot in all day," she said. "If it feels good, the vibes are good and it looks good, this is where I'm going to spend most of my time."

"Peaceful" greens, including plants and the carpet, and a big white couch make up the space. She's also been playing with textures, from fuzzy blankets to leather barstools.

"I've been in HomeGoods every day, twice a day," she said.

While Tran also lived in Miami her first two years of PA school, she said she didn't venture out too much because of how intensive the program is and how much studying there was to do.

But, there are some things there that she has missed dearly: Barry's Boot Camp, Pubbelly Sushi and being outside more — whether that's at the beach, on her balcony or dining al fresco at one of her favorite restaurants, like The Cleat, which she said has "the best vibes" and feels like a tropical escape.

A refresher on Jenn Tran's mega year and a half-ish

Tran went on not one, but two reality TV shows looking for love.

Tran got a direct message on Instagram from a casting producer who had come across her PA school TikToks, she said in a previous interview, and was offered an interview. She'd end up making it to the top six on "Bachelor" Joey Graziadei's season. Fun fact: He, too, has a Wisconsin connection.

After Tran's time on the show, she was going to go right back to her PA program. So, when she got a call about "The Bachelorette," it really took her by surprise, she said. While she was initially "on the fence," she ended up deciding to give it a whirl.

Tran became "The Bachelorette's" first Asian American lead — turning into the role model she needed as a kid. And, made "Bachelorette" history yet again by being the one to do the proposing during the season finale. The man she popped the question to — who had relentlessly pursued her all season long — proposed right back.

But, before that taped proposal from months prior aired, Tran joined host Jesse Palmer live on stage in front of a studio audience to share the shocking and devastating events that had followed.

While Tran and Devin Strader left Hawaii happily engaged, Tran revealed that he had ended their engagement during a brief phone call as the season was airing. That came after he was pulling away, treating her secondary to everything and had kept her in the dark about his doubts for months, she shared on stage.

An absolutely devastated Tran watched the proposal back on live TV while sitting next to her ex-fiancé — which ABC and the show received serious backlash over. Though, Tran made it clear in multiple interviews after that she knew ahead of time that she was going to be viewing it with him — and actually wanted to.

"The Bachelorette" is on pause and concerns over the show's work environment have been brought to light. When asked about that last week, Tran said she didn't know much, if anything, on that end and had nothing to say.

Following the season finale and "After the Final Rose," we desperately needed some good news for Tran. And, fortunately, it didn't take long to arrive.

Tran was immediately swept off her feet to "Dancing with the Stars," which would end up being not only "the highlight" of Tran's year, but the best time of her life.

"It was the best thing," Tran said. "I don't know how my life is going to top that, but we're going to try."

The best part of Jenn Tran's year: 'Dancing with the Stars'

Joining "DWTS" was "the easiest yes" of Tran's life. She loved the show as a kid and always wanted to give dance a go.

"It was so nice to honestly just check something off the bucket list," Tran said. "I really felt like my dreams came true last year."

"Good Morning America" announced Season 33's "DWTS" celebrities and their pro partners the morning after "The Bachelorette" season finale. Tran and pro partner Sasha Farber met at the airport and flew overnight to be there.

She and her dance partner became fast friends. And, it showed through the social media videos they made — and have continued to make — together.

Just two weeks after the "Bachelorette" wrapped, Tran made her "DWTS" debut. The pair had the shortest amount of time to train among this season's stars, host Alfonso Ribeiro noted at that time.

Tran and Farber's first dance, a Cha Cha, was performed to one of the most empowering breakup anthems ever: "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus.

"Forget about 'The Bachelorette' because you've found your perfect match right here with Sasha," judge Derek Hough said. "You all are, like, adorable. I love it."

We love some foreshadowing ...

As the season went along, Tran and Farber performed:

• A Rumba to “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid" on "Disney Night." Things got a little cutesy on this episode. "Is it weird for me to say that I ship this? I don't know, never mind. OK. Moving on," judge Hough said. Some of Tran's and Farber's fellow castmates were chanting for them to kiss — that didn't happen.

During Halloween week, the theme was "Halloween Nightmares." And, it would end up being exactly that for Tran and Farber.

It started off as a dream. Tran and Farber received their best scores of the competition, a 28 out of 30, for their Contemporary to "vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo.

Later that night came the first "Dance-Offs" of the season. Tran and Farber would win their round, which meant three extra points added to their judges' totals for the night.

Going into elimination, Tran and Farber were tied for third place on the leaderboard. As usual, live votes were combined with judges' scores to determine who would be cut from the competition.

When Ribeiro announced that Tran and Farber would be going home, the two hugged it out.

When going over what she learned and would take away from the experience, Tran noted that she had been "attached at the hip" to Farber for the past several weeks, and "can't even imagine a life" without him.

And, luckily, she hasn't had to since.

Are Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber dating?

It wasn't long before "DWTS" fans started speculating if Tran's and Farber's relationship went beyond the ballroom. The romance rumors — which they didn't not help fuel — outlived their time on the show.

In December, Us Weekly reported that the two were officially dating. And, some of their social media posts have sure made it seem that way.

When asked by the Journal Sentinel last week if the two are, in fact, dating, Tran said: "Who's to say? I don't know. Do you know?"

Regardless, it's no secret that the two have been absolutely living it up whenever they're together. Like the time when Farber took Tran to see Taylor Swift, in Canada — and pulled over a UPS truck to get Tran's passport to get her there.

Their favorite things to do together are spend time with Farber's two fur kids, dogs Grinch and Ruby, and dine out, Tran dished.

"I remember during the season, we were both trying to be a little healthier and stay in shape," Tran said. "And now, we're just eating everything that meets the eye. So, we're huge foodies."

When asked if Farber had made it out to Miami to visit her yet, Tran said she told him he can't unless he brings the dogs because she misses them so much. Though, it appears she was reunited with them — and Farber — on a recent jaunt back to LA.

Has Jenn Tran hung up her dancing shoes for good?

"I did look up some places in Miami and there's a lot of Latin ballroom dancing here, obviously, which is really nice," Tran said. "So, I might try a class with a friend and we'll see — if I get over my stage fright."

As for her TikTok dances with Farber, they continue to be on point.

Some of Jenn Tran's other favorite moments from the past year or so

When Tran was doing press for "The Bachelorette," she got to attend the "Deadpool & Wolverine" premiere.

"I'm a huge Marvel fan, so that was really cool," she said.

During her time as "The Bachelorette," Tran was able to connect with a lot of creators and people from the Asian community, she said, including Lauren Riihimaki, Remi Cruz and Crystal Kung Minkoff.

"I've never really had that kind of community before, so I've kept up with a lot of those friends since then," she said. "That's been a really nice surprise through my whole journey."

Looking ahead, what are Jenn Tran's plans for after PA school?

"That's the really exciting and scary part is I have no idea," Tran said. "Try to take everything one day at a time. So, we'll see. I definitely have some exciting things planned in my head. If they come to fruition, I don't know yet. But, we'll see. I'm just going to keep shooting from the stars and see what happens."

One of those potential plans is a move back to Los Angeles after graduation.

"There's always things changing. I do love LA and I would love to live there," she said. "So, we'll see."