I’ve been asked to teach an anatomy and physiology course to nursing students at the local community college. Who knew there were such courses in my little village? I’m well and truly retired, of course, but I love teaching. I once took an assistant professor job at the University of California so that I could teach, only to be told by my department chair that “you can do all the teaching you want… on your own time.” (The same chair would later say “we think you’d be happier in the community.” He was right.)
So I’m contemplating actually taking the job. I didn’t like my medical school anatomy course at all, which at first made me think I wasn’t qualified to teach it, but then it occurred to me that I might be even better qualified. At least I know what didn’t work for me and will be hell-bent on providing a better experience to my students.
I have received positive feedback for the teaching I’ve done but, of course, I’m still insecure. Before medical school, I was convinced that anyone who really wanted to be a good teacher could be. More than anything else, the passion and drive to share knowledge seemed to be the marker of good teachers. Then I had a professor in medical school who absolutely could not teach. He knew his subject well. I visited him during office hours and it was clear he was passionate about teaching. He asked if I had any suggestions to help him improve; he simply did not understand why students rated him so poorly. He seemed to lack the ability to put himself in the mind of someone who did not already know his subject. So I’m going to be worrying that I am now that professor.
I still intend to try. When, in my 30’s, I went back to college with the goal of getting into medical school, I found I had missed the application deadline for the University of California by one week. I was at a particularly auspicious moment to make the move from IT to medicine. I didn’t want to waste the opportunity, so I went to the local community college and enrolled. It was a great move. Teachers at the CC are there to teach, not to do research, write grants, generate clinical revenue, etc. I had teachers there who transformed me. Though I feared that medical schools would look down on someone who started at a community college, none seemed to: I got interviews at UCSF and Harvard, so it couldn’t have been too negative a mark.
I think teaching is a high calling. I just hope I have what it takes to rise to the occasion.
—2p