Carlie Spalding started out her senior year unsure about what she would like to do after graduation. Over the course of her high school career, she took several health science classes with Ms. Schooling, so she had an idea of the field she was interested in. However, it wasn’t until she started her internship at Sisters of Charity of Nazareth that she was able to figure out what she wanted her future to look like.

“I now know I want to work in the medical field and help those who need it, and this internship has helped me realize my true passion,” said Carlie.

Carlie does a number of things at Nazareth. Some of her responsibilities include helping the residents with their daily activities, helping them get to their appointments, and making sure they stay healthy by helping them with personal hygiene. She loves to talk to the residents and finds it important to let them know she is someone they can confide in.

She says that creating good relationships with these residents is very important. She wants their mental health to be just as taken care of as their physical health. Carlie says that “just learning how to work with other people and care for the residents in their facility was a great experience for me.” She was able to acquire this internship through Bardstown City Schools’ Path2Pro program. The Path2Pro program is a student-driven, individualized learning experience that is designed to assist students in discovering their path in life. It is also known as work-based learning.

Carlie gives a huge thanks to her nursing teacher all throughout high school, Ms. Schooling. She says that Ms. Schooling has helped prepare her in so many ways and continues to prepare her for college and life after high school. Through Ms. Schooling she has taken Medical Terminology and Emergency Procedures, Principles of Health Sciences, and is currently taking Medicaid Nurse Aide and Anatomy. “I don’t think I would have had the confidence in my skills and scope of practice if Ms. Schooling wouldn’t have been there for me,” shared Carlie.

Her plans after graduation are to attend the University of Kentucky to become a registered nurse. Upon completing her bachelor’s degree, Carlie plans to work in the Emergency Room while continuing online school to become a nurse practitioner.