VCOM View Magazine Vol. 12 | No. 1

VCOM-Auburn—who played a role in her belief in osteopathic medicine and helped her see how well it fit with her desire to do primary care and sports medicine. “OMM just makes sense in a primary care, sports medicine world,” she observes. Her family medicine residency took her to the University of Michigan Health-West, during which time she was an adjunct clinical faculty member at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and co-chief resident of family medicine.

psychophysiology lab changed her mind because she learned research really could make a difference in the

lives of patients. “I enjoy research that makes an impact and leads to better patient safety and quality improvement,” she says. Plus, she recognizes that research, particularly in residency, helps physicians learn to be an active part of the osteopathic profession. These days, Dr. Fremarek is working at VCOM-Virginia, where she is an associate professor of family medicine

She was also nominated by her peers to be chief resident of research, quality improvement and patient safety. Being nominated for that role by her peers made it even more meaningful. Her experiences in her family medicine residency have only reinforced her commitment to patients. “During my last months of family medicine training, my team and I were

“OMM just makes sense in a primary care, sports medicine world. ”

and completing her osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine

brought to tears as my patient who lived on the streets for over two years slept under his new roof for the first time,” she recalls. “It is proud moments like this that remind me why I am wholeheartedly passionate about ensuring the art of osteopathic medicine continues to thrive.” Helping the profession thrive is why she regularly serves as a panelist and trainer at meetings, teaches whenever she has the opportunity, serves on committees and takes on other leadership roles within the osteopathic community. Building a thriving profession is also why she does research, though interestingly, she wasn’t always excited about that because she didn’t want to do it just to get into medical school. An exercise

-Nicole Fremarek, DO

residency. In July 2023, she will begin her sports medicine fellowship in the College’s

nationally recognized program. She found VCOM because she was looking for a place where osteopathic medicine and sports medicine were equally valued in the same system. “It was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me,” she says of coming to VCOM. “There are not many places that you can go and feel like people push you because they genuinely want you to be better, where they want you to learn and support your interests.The VCOM family does that here.” Eventually, she wants to have a practice where she uses her primary care skills to integrate osteopathic and sports medicine. But whatever her future holds, she says, she wants to continue to have an academic or teaching perspective. “That is an important piece to me,” she says. “Teaching gives me the chance to keep up my skills and it is important to show students how OMM helps people in real life.” And if one day, she is able to work for the Chicago Bears or the Kansas City Chiefs, she thinks that would be a fine way to honor her values and celebrate her love of the game.

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Spring 2023 | VCOM V iew