Meet Aaron McCord, PhD, FNP-C, and clinical assistant professor at the IU School of Nursing! Dr. McCord is a nurse practitioner who continues to work clinically while teaching. His program of research is student-centered, focused on career decision-making of people who want to be nurses. Dr. McCord initially started teaching at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) in 2015 and became a professor at the IU School of Nursing in Fort Wayne following the campus transition in 2018.
What inspired you to follow your chosen path of study?
When I was an undergraduate student, I liked everything academic, so I meandered around. At one point I was an engineering major, a history major, and eventually a biology major with a chemistry minor. I decided I didn't want to go to medical school because I didn’t want to go to school that long, which is a real irony given how long I've been in school.
I was in the secondary education program right up until they posted the Fort Wayne Community Schools' pay scale. My reaction was - I can't do this because I can't support a family. I came to the same conclusion when I was researching being a biology professor. So, I was sifting around trying to figure out what I was going to do.
Then, someone suggested nursing. I finished my associate’s degree in nursing the semester after I finished my bachelor’s degree in biology. An interest in teaching was always part of all of that, but there was no feasible economic way to make it work until I discovered nursing.
Sometime later, I earned my MSN as a nurse practitioner and ran my own practice taking care of homebound individuals. The business was doing fine. There were things I didn't like, mostly around marketing and billing type stuff, and I mentioned to my wife that if this doesn't work, I want to teach. So, she hopped on the internet and found a job posting for one of the nearby schools, while I checked IPFW. A couple of months later, I was hired at IPFW.
During my clinical career, I was always the person that wanted to help with orientation or with students. I was in the classroom teaching. My meandering path had come full circle. I was in the collegiate classroom, teaching. As a faculty member, I've consistently pursued opportunities to become a better teacher. Teaching is really what gets me super excited.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
First, it’s simply being in the classroom. I love breaking down complex ideas until they are easier to digest for the learner. My goal is for students to walk away from my class having learned important concepts. I view teaching as a way to empower my students.
I teach pathophysiology and pharmacology, which goes hand-in-hand with my background in biology and chemistry, and as a medical provider. It’s a hard class, but I love teaching it and finding different ways to help students absorb as much as possible.
What is the most helpful advice you’ve ever received?
There are lots of things that just kind of build your image of self and your perspective of the world. One of the ideas that has had an impact on me came from reading Ender’s Game when I was in 6th or 7th grade. One of the core concepts of that book is understanding the motivations and perspectives of other people. Another concept came from a quote by [American writer and Boston University professor of biochemistry] Isaac Asimov, “Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.”
Often in life, doing what is right is the hardest thing to do. It’s rarely the easier thing to do. I’m always keeping that in mind while making decisions, whether in the classroom or my personal life.