Kathy Farley
Nursing Instructor
Central Carolina Community College
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
When I was a kid, I was always playing "doctor" with my dolls.
When I enlisted in the Army, I was looking for a position that wouldn't put me in the field.
My recruiter told me that if I went into the medic field, I'd be in hospitals rather than in combat.
Once I got out of the Army, I finally had the chance to go back to school and pursue my own path.
Nursing had always been an interest of mine, so I went after it with all I had.
Despite the fact that I didn't even graduate from high school, I now have my doctorate degree.
I hate public speaking, but I love seeing students advance and learn, so I became an educator.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
West Lincoln High School
West Lincoln High School
Career
Nursing Instructor
I educate nurses and prepare them to go into entry-level positions or on to bachelor's degrees.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Medicine
Helping People
Day to Day
I spend 60-70% of my time preparing to teach: putting together lesson plans, reading, researching, grading papers, etc. Another 5-10% is spent in meetings with colleagues, and then the final 20% of my time is actually spent in the classroom with my students.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Depending on your financial situation, you can either go into a four-year bachelor's degree program, or into a two-year associate's program. If you're interested in nursing, you'll need to do a nurse's aide program (which lasts about three or four months) to make sure that you actually want to pursue a career in this industry.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Associate's Degree
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You're crazy to go back to school."
