Career paths aren’t always a straight line, and for some, every pivot, curve, and interruption adds a characteristic that could create a better outcome. For anyone who has ever felt like they’ve taken a professional detour, a conversation with Dr. Shirley Brown is just what the nurse practitioner ordered. Her mantra? To rest, regroup, and restart.
Among her 36 years in healthcare, Dr. Brown has spent most of her career as a nurse. But it took more tenacity than tradition for Dr. Brown to make her way from the classroom to clinical care. Her journey to clinical care was not a straight line; she faced a significant setback by failing nursing school twice. It was during this time, while working as an extern at a local hospital, that a chance encounter with a paramedic first introduced her to the role of an emergency medical technician (EMT), a path that would change everything.
Up until that point, Dr. Brown said she had no idea what an EMT was, but with her new baby in her arms and her mother’s words ringing in her ears, “when you’re ready to be a queen, get your own,” she knew she had to find her own way to independence – and to nursing.
“Nursing was it (for me),” Dr. Brown shared, “I’ve been wanting to be a nurse since I was 9, 10 years old.”
Instead of switching careers, she found a new path through EMT training, gaining critical, hands-on experience. Even that wasn’t easy, as she had to repeat her first semester. But she pushed through.
“What I didn't know then was that a detour wasn't a punishment, but a path to a better outcome,” said Dr. Brown.
That experience as an EMT gave her the confidence and real-world perspective she needed to succeed when she reapplied to nursing school. Needless to say, the third time was a charm, and Dr. Brown said it was an essential part of her journey, teaching her the “long game mindset.”
“Going to EMT school really gave me the foundation that I needed,” Dr. Brown said. “It gave me the experience that I needed. So when I went to clinicals, I was not terrified. I was used to talking to people because as an EMT, I talk to people every day, right?”
The nursing degree ignited a flame that led to additional accomplishments. She continued her education, earning her BSN, MSN, and ultimately her EdD. Now, she’s the Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Memphis, training future healthcare leaders. She’s also a psychiatric nurse practitioner and bedside nurse at Regional One Health. She inspires Hire Local students sharing her story, and looking back, she says wouldn’t change a thing.
“I am who I am because of all those challenges,” she said.
Her journey taught her the importance of building a support system and trusting her own instincts over external pressure.
As she put it, “Your tribe is everything.”
Shirley Brown’s story is a blueprint for anyone navigating their own career evolution—a perfect example of how challenges aren’t roadblocks, but stepping stones to professional growth.
This blog was written by Memphis Medical District Collaborative/Hire Local 901
Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) is a community development organization that works with major institutions to create a more vibrant, safe, and equitable medical district. Hire Local is a workforce development program of the MMDC, designed to connect Medical District area residents with training, education, and employment opportunities within the district.
