Alexa Fritsch Student Spotlight What led you to attend Rocky Vista University Southern Utah? When deciding on a medical school, I really wanted to feel respected and welcomed, not only on campus but also within the community. Having an amazing outdoor playground and a place to call home was just a bonus. Rocky Vista University in Southern Utah hit all these requirements out of the park, and I am so happy I landed right where I did. the human body and skeleton, scribbling my interpretation with graphite onto paper. The opposition of science (the knowledge and logic) and emotion (the interactions and relationships forged between individuals) is what really drew me to medicine. I love learning about people and listening to their stories. This melding of rigid rationale with the fluidity of the human psyche is such an art and one that I wish to continually hone throughout my life. My family and I lived in a tiny village, if you will, called Chili in Wisconsin, where our closest neighborhood friends were Amish. However, I worked and went to school in a town nearby called Marshfield. Some of my most cherished memories involve growing up with a pack of hooligans (whom I am still very close with today), attending football games, making our own scavenger hunts, and having game nights. Additionally, I enjoyed participating in sports: cross country, gymnastics, and my favorite, track and field. The 800m, 4x400m relay, and 4x200m relay were my best events. Although my track days have passed, you can usually find me lifting weights, trail running, hiking, camping, paddleboarding, snowboarding, traveling, conversing with friends over homemade meals, and hosting game nights in my free time. What was your journey to medical school? Marshfield’s main attraction is its clinic — everyone in my hometown was affiliated with it in some way, shape, or form, but it was really my dad who got me into the sciences, albeit indirectly. As a family, we would go on nature walks and stop to look at trees, dried-up leaves, etc., and he’d always ask, “What do you think that is?” or “How do you think it came to be?” It impacted me in a big way, and I learned to love the sciences, especially biology. It wasn’t until I went to college that I really found my passion for medicine. After working as a CNA and taking courses such as anatomy, physiology, and medical mycology, I decided to pursue a career as a physician. During this time, I had many mentors and supporters — my biggest being my mom and dad, along with my friends and a handful of undergraduate professors, namely Dr. Tom Volk and Dr. Rebecca Werren. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where I competed on the track team my first year while pursuing a major in biology and a minor in art. I loved the sciences and digging into the minute details of molecular biology! When not studying in the corners of Cowley Hall, I found peace in the art studio — visually analyzing | 16
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