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Cathy Thomas is a medical science teacher in the Career Tech department at Gardendale High School. She is also a part-time nurse at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

“I’m a registered nurse by trade. I developed back problems, and I had to cut down. Thankfully, I got this job,” she said.

Thomas teaches in a classroom equipped with a medical lab, which allows her to teach with several different hands-on lessons. There are four mannequins in hospital beds on one wall. Each one is made to teach a different skill, such as performing a tracheotomy on “Old Joe” or administering a shot with “Susan.” One of her favorite teaching tools is a giant heart the students walk through to learn about blood flow and heart functions.

Thomas started her nursing career after raising her own kids. She began college at age 37. She got her bachelor’s degree in psychology. While visiting a clinical site, a nurse encouraged her to go into nursing. She became a nurse immediately after earning her degree.

“What I really want to be is a professional student,” said Thomas. “But, that doesn’t pay very well.”