Student experience at ATSU SOMA involves campus events, close knit community

Student experience at ATSU-SOMA involves campus events, close-knit community

A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) student Nele Heinemeier, OMS II, says her school provides more than just an outstanding education in osteopathic medicine.

"I enjoy the close-knit community ATSU-SOMA provides," she said. "I like the various events the school hosts for opportunities to interact with students from other programs, like playing flag football, or through various interprofessional education events. There are many events on campus like Founder's Day, Diversity Festival, and Spring Expo where there is an opportunity to have fun, take a study break, and there's usually free food or energy drinks, which most students usually take advantage of!"

Heinemeier is from Macomb, Michigan, and has a bachelor's degree in biochemistry with a minor in Spanish from Saginaw Valley State University, and a master's degree in microbiology from the University of Florida.

"I chose ATSU-SOMA because when I toured the campus during the Spring Expo, I could see myself attending this school. The faculty and students I met on that day were all very welcoming and they seemed to care about the students here," she said.

Heinemeier is president of the Student American Academy of Osteopathy and member of the Association of Women in Surgery and Internal Medicine Club. She also serves as an ATSU-SOMA student ambassador.

"I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and figured that being an ambassador was a way to do that," she said. "I enjoy answering questions from prospective students and providing them with the information they need to make their decisions. It's also fun to connect with other individuals and to meet ambassadors from the other programs."

She likes to stay active and relax outside of the classroom, taking Pure Barre classes, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

It all coalesces around the idea of becoming a well-rounded, compassionate osteopathic physician who can provide high quality patient-centered care, Heinemeier said, though her exact future path is to be determined.

"I do not know what specialty I want to go into just yet, but I do enjoy procedure-based medicine and hope to also be doing research in the cancer or dementia fields in the future," she said. "ATSU-SOMA is helping me become a well-rounded osteopathic physician through various interprofessional education events and simulations done with standardized patients."