by Tara Beverly

When first-year student Katie Pestak initially applied to medical school she only applied to M.D. schools. It never crossed her mind to apply to D.O. schools; she didn’t even know what a D.O. was. After some research, she decided to apply to osteopathic schools.

“Before, I didn’t know anything about osteopathic medicine,” says Pestak, a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmetsburg, Md., and Mentor native. “I was familiar with M.D.s, but after I got accepted to osteopathic schools I began to really research the osteopathic approach to medicine.”

Soon she discovered something.

“I liked the osteopathic philosophy and what it means to be an osteopathic physician.

“It’s weird, but when you find a place where you fit, a place where you feel you really belong, your heart is set on getting into that school. That’s what it was like for me when I interviewed at OU-COM. I tried several times to get into medical school before I was finally accepted. I kept trying — that was the key. I took the MCAT way too many times, but it finally paid off,” says Pestak, who also has a master’s degree in medicine science from Boston University School of Medicine.

For those seeking to get into medical school, she says to “keep trying.”

Pestak has had a wonderful experience in her first quarter. There is excitement and passion in her eyes for her chosen profession. With a huge smile on her face, she shares her journey into medicine.

Several things attracted Pestak to OU-COM. First she says that the curriculum at OU-COM is extraordinary, and she feels that the college provides many opportunities for professional growth. In the past weeks she has participated in patient-simulation labs and interviewed patients. This surprised Pestak, as she thought that these opportunities would come much later in the year.

“Here at OU-COM there are many opportunities beyond the classroom,” says Pestak. “This is very important to me.”

Another  thing surprised her.

“When I was working towards my master’s degree I studied so much. Here I still study a lot but have opportunities to have fun. Classes are nearby, and the faculty is very accessible. I felt welcome from the moment I stepped on campus. I never thought medical school would be this gratifying. I get e-mails about salsa dancing, movie night and other extracurricular activities, which is really nice. There is a genuine camaraderie among the students. That’s awesome,” she says.

Pestak loves working with children, and her ultimate goal is to become a pediatrician. She has worked as a volunteer on pediatric wards, which she found a very fulfilling experience. Making a difference in the life of a child is a very rewarding experience, and children are great patients, she says.

As first-year vice president of the Pediatrics Club, Pestak has had the opportunity to work with children through the college’s Little People’s Hospital and area schools. During Halloween the club visited schools and talked to kindergarten and first graders about Halloween safety.

“It’s great to think that I have only been here for 10 weeks, and I’ve already been able to help children. I eventually want to set up a pediatrics practice in the Cleveland area, close to my family,” says Pestak, one of five siblings.

Pestak says she is pleased with her class schedule. Monday, Wednesday and Friday she has basic-science classes. These days she also spends time in clinics, shadowing physicians and practicing the skills she is acquiring. Tuesdays and Thursdays she has case-based learning classes.

“They are really interesting,” says Pestak. “We are divided into groups of eight students and begin to learn how to look at cases from a physician’s point of view.”

 She also is studying osteopathic manipulative medicine. Pestak says that she really enjoys OMM because you get to practice manipulation techniques.

“I was so excited that we were able to jump right into it. It’s definitely awkward at first to pair up with someone you don’t know, but soon after, you begin to really get comfortable with manipulation. I’ve learned so much.”

Pestak praised OU-COM staff. “They’re wonderful,” she says. She appreciates the fact that they are so willing to sit down one-on-one with students for review sessions and know students’ names. Pestak says that faculty and staff take the time to care and are very encouraging.

“They tell us, ‘You guys are going to make great physicians.’ This is so great to hear. They really want to see us to succeed, which makes this experience a lot easier,” says Pestak.

As for her plans for the future — after getting through this year, of course — she says that she wants complete her third and fourth years at a Centers for Osteopathic Research Education hospital in Cleveland. She would love to spend those years there because it is close to family.

“The opportunities in Ohio are huge. If osteopathic medicine is what you want to do, OU-COM holds great possibilities for you. You really have to want this and really have the passion to not only be a successful medical student but to become the best osteopathic physician you can be.”