While it's true that I don't miss being a student (after going straight through my life's formal education -- 23 consecutive years of being a full time student!), I did always think I'd go back to academia after a brief stint at CDC. Well, I'm still at CDC with no plans or real desire to make a change any time soon... and the longer I stay the harder it probably will be to go back.
The one thing I have missed about not being at a university, though, is teaching. If you'd told me that even a decade ago, I wouldn't have believed it. My mother is a teacher, my sister is a teacher, but I never really thought it was for me. So, I was surprised during my second year of grad school to discover that I actually liked teaching. And specifically teaching epidemiology. I was even more surprised that after teaching the same cycle of classes for four years in a row I wasn't bored with them.
Recently I started co-teaching an introductory epidemiology course for the fellows and junior staff in our Center at work. It's pretty informal, and I felt a little rusty at first, but lately Thursday afternoon has been the part of my work week I look forward to the most. My friend Sara sent me a link to an article she read about epidemiology, and as I've been sitting here reading the chapter for this week's class, it reminded me how cool it can be.
This week, causal inference! Sounds exciting, no?
(Also, this one always makes me smile:
)
3 comments:
Hey! A shout-out! :)
That's SO cool, Carrie! I've always thought you were a really good teacher . . .
(Also, this is probably really late, but I like the new look of your blog.)
Carrie!!
I stopped by on the right day. I desperately miss teaching. I was terrified when I started and then I loved it more than studying. I miss going to classes, too, though. At the beginning of every semester I get jealous of my little sister, my students, my friends, posting about their new classes and teachers on FB. I want to go back, as both a student and a teacher!
I'm glad that you have been able to get a little bit back into teaching but I REALLY think that you should look into part time teaching- just a class every once in awhile- because it is SO rewarding. Emory University would be lucky to have you teaching them :-)
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