Clarence Nicodemus said he has plenty of things to teach the students in a microbiology class at the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.
But Nicodemus isn’t the professor.
At 57, he is a first-year medical student. But he says his life experiences prove to be of interest to his fellow classmates, along with the material they’re currently learning in class.
“Having a family and professional background are things they haven’t experienced yet,” Nicodemus said. “I find myself talking about things with them outside of what we are learning in class.”
Nicodemus came to MSU last semester from the University of Texas, where he was an engineering faculty member. He was researching the effects of medical equipment on the spine.
He says medicine is something that’s “always been of interest to me.” And medical school, he insists, was a logical next step for him.
When he graduated from high school in Citrus Heights, Calif., Nicodemus said he knew he wanted to study engineering or medicine.
However, there weren’t any schools close enough to home that offered medical programs.
Thus, he chose engineering.
Now, he gets to fulfill a dream.
In addition to his class schedule, Nicodemus, who holds a doctorate in engineering, also teaches an MSU engineering course in biodynamics.
And Nicodemus said being back in a classroom - as a student - is definitely an interesting experience.
“There is a huge amount that I need to learn in a short period of time,” he said.
“I’m just not used to the work load.”
Thus, he takes part in study sessions outside class.
First-year medical student Bridget Bailey said she has spent a lot of time with Nicodemus inside and outside the classroom. She said they study together a lot, but she also considers him a personal friend.
“For him to go through all this, I have the utmost respect for him,” she said. “He is following his heart and his mind and that is something I admire.”
Bailey said, with his history and background, Nicodemus has plenty of unique perspectives to offer.
She insisted he’s “such a tool to learn from.”
“We are all learning microbiology together but he brings a whole other unique facet,” Bailey said.
And it’s his personality that’s ultimately going to help him succeed in the medical practice, she said.
“I think about him seeing patients and I know I would go to him,” Bailey said.
Dr. William Falls, associate dean for student services in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, worked with Nicodemus when he was seeking admission to the college.
He said there are many issues - such as readjusting to a full class load and interacting with younger students - that he addresses when working with “nontraditional” students such as Nicodemus.
But Falls said Nicodemus seems at ease in class.
“He serves as a role model and they seek a lot of guidance from him,” he said. “He has been able to blend in with the students very well.”
And that tough workload?
Falls said Nicodemus is handling it well.
“He is very easygoing and doesn’t get stressed out,” he said, adding that will definitely “help him in medical school.”
