COM Outlook Summer/Fall 2019

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 13 alike to network, engage, and discuss non-sustaining legislation and reform.” Fiore Pfeiffer’s OBI leadership experience proved beneficial on a range of levels. “I met many osteopathic medical students, physicians, and leaders who helped educate me and show me the path to efficient and impact- ful health care advocacy, which does the most important thing— protect our patients,” she said. Fiore Pfeiffer’s unbridled com- mitment earned her well-deserved recognition. In addition to being named KPCOM Student of the Year by her peers earlier this year, Fiore Pfeiffer earned the KPCOM Student of the Year honor at the 21st Annual NSU Student Life Achievement Awards in April. Her achievements were also recognized on a national level when she earned second- place honors in the Council of Osteopathic Student Govern- ment Presidents National Student D.O. of the Year com- petition, which featured a field of 41 candidates. “To be given this place among all of the talented and hardworking osteopathic students in the country was so humbling,” Fiore Pfeiffer acknowledged. As her KPCOM academic career concludes, Fiore Pfeiffer has much to be grateful for, including a date with destiny that occurred during her first week of medical school. While attending the welcome event called Osteoblast, she met her future husband, Wilson Pfeiffer, D.O., also a member of the 2019 graduating class. Next up on Fiore Pfeiffer’s edu- cational agenda is the start of her obstetrics and gynecology resi- dency training at the University of Texas—San Antonio. “I hope to subspecialize in the field once I com- plete my residency and continue to help advance women’s health care in our country,” she said. “I also plan to continue my passion for advocacy for my patients and the profession, as well as teach,” she added. “Additionally, I hope to use my expertise to provide health care to those in need through my family’s nonprofit organization in Jeremie, Haiti, which is my mother’s hometown.” M uch like Fiore Pfeiffer, her class of 2019 classmate, Hazariwala didn’t commit to a career in medicine until she had already reached the college stage of life. The reason? Too many appealing options. “As a child, I was fascinated with the stars and wanted to be a rocket scientist, but I was also amused by life in the water and wanted to be a marine biologist,” said Hazariwala, who would get so riled up by the daily news that she considered becoming a journalist. “I was also moved by music and wanted to be a singer.” She attributes much of her intrinsic curiosity to her parents, who ensured that the family dined together every night at 6:30 to watch the nightly news and Vikisha Hazariwala performs at the 2016 NSU’s Got Talent competition with several classmates, with whom she formed a band called The Heartbeats, to relieve study stress and express their creativity. W VIKISHA HAZARIWALA : An Empathetic Approach