Molly Moffitt, a UAB basketball player, is graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with her dream job secured in emergency medicine. Molly Moffitt kept a packed schedule between schoolwork at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing and playing UAB Women’s Basketball. When she was not at a practice or a game, she was in class or at clinicals. While managing both has been challenging, she is graduating this May with gratitude for both the academic and athletic opportunities she availed at UAB.
While basketball was Moffitt’s primary focus growing up, she also had an interest in learning about human physiology and enjoyed building connections with others. That curiosity, combined with her experiences as an athlete, led her to consider nursing as a career.
“I love people and feel like I never meet a stranger, so I knew I wanted to be around people in my career,” Moffitt said. “I’ve also never really gotten stressed out during medical situations while playing sports. My initial reaction has always been ‘what can I do to help?’”
UAB was a long way from home for Moffitt, who is originally from Seattle; but she committed to the No. 1 in Alabama Bachelor of Science in Nursing program the day of her campus tour.
“There was a big emphasis on school during the recruitment process, and I knew I wanted to be a nurse and do something in the medical field,” Moffitt said. “I went on my campus visit to UAB and committed that day because I loved it so much. I learned about the nursing program and how great it was. It was far away, but I chose UAB because I love basketball and school.”
Balancing the responsibilities of nursing school and basketball has sharpened Moffitt’s time management and communication skills, both of which have been essential to her success as a student-athlete.
“Everything carries over in terms of life lessons and skills and learning how to communicate with people,” Moffitt said. “If I weren’t communicating or managing my time properly, I would not be successful. There have been many times when we come back from an away trip, and I have to be awake at 6 a.m. the next day for a clinical. It can be overwhelming, and I’ve really had to learn how to take time for myself. Checking my schedule at least two weeks in advance and communicating with coaches and professors was crucial.”
Moffitt sees commonalities between her experience in team sports and nursing school, especially the importance of collaboration in high-pressure situations.
“Your goal when you play basketball is to win, and you can’t win by yourself,” Moffitt said. “You’re trying to reach a common goal, and that translates over to nursing with your co-workers and patients. You want to work with your teammates and co-workers to be successful. It sounds cliché, but there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team.’”
Moffitt appreciates the support she has received from the School of Nursing faculty, and she believes that, with dedication, other students can successfully pursue both athletics and nursing school.
“You can do both,” Moffitt said. “I would not be able to pursue skills on and off the court if it weren’t for my professors. They wanted me to succeed and were there to walk me through my schedule each time.”
Rebekah Day, DNP, nursing instructor, played a monumental role in shaping Moffitt’s clinical skills and has strong faith in a successful career for her.
“Molly is the kind of student who leaves a lasting impression — her work ethic, communication skills and determination set her apart,” Day said. “As a UAB nursing student, she brought an energy and drive that inspired those around her, including me. I have no doubt her outgoing personality and dedication will lead to incredible accomplishments in her nursing career.”
Moffitt says her basketball coaches and staff heavily emphasized education and facilitated her excellence beyond the basketball court.
Hunter Simpson, an assistant coach for the UAB Women’s Basketball team, has been Moffitt’s coach and mentor since her freshman year. He says, “12,” Simpson’s on-court nickname for Moffitt, has taught him more than he has taught her.
“I can’t say enough about Molly,” Simpson said. “Her drive, dedication and resilience as she competed both on the court and in the classroom serve as the blueprint for what it means to be a Blazer. As her coach, I find myself realizing how much I learned from watching her grow. I have never met someone so fiercely competitive, yet equally compassionate and genuine.”
Moffitt has already landed a job – –she will work as an emergency department nurse in South Carolina. While her focus will primarily be on nursing, she hopes to remain involved in basketball, whether as a coach or a mentor to students who are balancing school and athletics.