Do you think Working as an Adjunct Professor is a good second job gig?

[MrLungvent]

Im currently looking to enroll in excelsior's RN program and transition from RT.

I will be graduating with my RRT next year and then plan to bridge to RN after working and gaining some expeirence as an RT at the bedside before I transition to the RN. I already have a B.S degree in Biology from University of Rochester.

One of the things ive always want to do though was teach....Anatomy and Physiology, Human Bio, Micro, and Pathophysiology in particular....it is truely my passion. Im looking at this program in particular from New York Chiropractic College:

http://www.nycc.edu/AcademicPrograms_MSHAPIprogram.htm#1

It's designed for people who work in Allied Health (RT's, RN's, PT's, DC's) who want to teach A&P at the 2- year college level/ undergrad. I am hoping this degree along with my RT, and RN would give me a ton of versatility as an aspiring educator to teach A&P and Bio courses along with RT, and RN courses down the road if I sought to do so....

Full time teaching positions of any sort are kind of a pipe dream today, but this is something I would hope to do on the side of my regular day job, teaching 1-2 classes a semester.

I was just wondering if anyone thought teaching in general makes a good second job.

And it also would be helpful if anyone knew anything about the MSHAPI program at NYCC

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I don't know the requirements for teaching in an RT program but what I know about nursing programs (whether ADN or BSN) is that the faculty teaching any nursing courses including Anatomy and Physiology must have Master's degrees in Nursing. Personally, my professor in undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology during my BSN was a physician (MD) and the faculty for my Advanced Pathophysiology at the Master's level was team taught by a group of physicians (MD's) from the medical school that was part of our university.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I am sure it depends on the level of education the students are getting, but my A&P course in nursing was also taught by MD. I have an MSN and do adjunct teaching. It is rewarding to me.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I really liked it, for the most part. It's always a thrill to see those eyes light up when they get it, and you know they will not just get it temporarily, but forever.

Just realize that 1) the pay sucks, generally, 2) the hours are long, and 3), to paraphrase the immortal words of Henry Kissinger speaking about his time in academia, the politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small. :)

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Where I taught, those who taught biology courses like A & P, micro, and patho, had to have at least a Master's in some sort of Biology. A Nursing Master's wouldn't do the job for the non-nursing courses (biology courses were considered to be just as non-nursing as literature and math)...

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Teaching requires a Masters, I would think that should be your priority. After your Excelsior ASN you could enroll in their MSN program. They would accept your BS as a prereq for the MSN (this is exactly the way I did it). To answer your second question, teaching PT is rewarding but not very lucrative. If you teach the same course over and over you can recoup the initial development time you will put in. But creating your class activities is very time consuming. Grading and other admin duties are also time consuming. It comes out to a very poor per-hour rate. But, it is very challenging and rewarding. It has been instrumental for me to get some experience which led to a better job. It is too demanding for me to do long term but I have enjoyed what I have done. It gives you a lot of cred on your resume as well which can help you professionally.