While he teaches fundamentals of healthcare during the week at school, Samuel Becker works as a respiratory therapist at the hospital during the weekends. Becker has a busy schedule on his hands from juggling both jobs at the same time. Throughout the many career fields that Becker has worked in, teaching has followed him through the journey. 

“I have been in respiratory care for close to ten years,” Becker said. 

Becker attended Fayetteville High School and enrolled in the United States Army after graduation. After the army, he decided to go into law enforcement and begin working in the medical field. 

“But even in the military, and in law enforcement, I was also teaching,” Becker said. “It seems like teaching has followed me no matter what I did.”

Becker’s work schedule for both jobs consists of taking up shifts at the hospital on the weekends while working at school during the weekdays. He was picking up hospital shifts almost every weekend. He then cut it down to every two weekends, although he plans to work full-time at the hospital when school is out for holiday breaks. 

“Honestly, there’s a lot of things in healthcare that you want to fix, but you can’t fix it when you’re in the job, so it is best to catch it early through teaching,” Becker said. 

 According to Becker, he has encountered obstacles with both jobs. Working as a teacher and a respiratory therapist has become very tiresome for him. Trying to keep up with students’ grades and the school’s work schedule has been difficult for Becker. 

“It has been difficult going to the hospital taking care of patients and remembering who your patients are,” Becker said. “Sometimes even trying to remember your own name.”

Becker’s favorite part about being a teacher is seeing the student’s interactions. Seeing them light up when they finally understand something is what makes teaching enjoyable for him. Becker said that he teaches patients at the hospital all the time with breathing techniques and by telling them how to take their medication properly. 

“So, when you see that lightbulb go off, that’s kind of why you are in healthcare is to see that lightbulb go off and see people actually take care of themselves,” Becker said. 

According to Becker, he plans to continue teaching because he’s always enjoyed teaching since he has done it in the hospital with patients. 

“In every career, you’re going to wind up teaching no matter what you do,” Becker said.