Friday, January 31, 2025
Photo: credit: Dr. Tara Nicolette with her father Dr. Harold Nicolette, who graduated from UNTHSC’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1981
For Dr. Tara Nicolette, it was never a question of if she was going to be an osteopathic
physician, but what specialty she’d choose. Growing up with a father and grandmother
who were both physicians – her grandmother being one of the first female osteopathic
physicians – it was a no brainer when Tara decided to follow in their footsteps and
attend the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. While Tara didn’t attend The
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine like her dad, she is no stranger to the program.
Her dad, the late Dr. Harold Nicolette, graduated from TCOM in 1981. At the time he hoped to pursue a surgical residency but had two kids at home and one on the way. He chose to complete his family medicine residency, which at the time was only a year long, so he could start making money to support his family.
Since she could remember, Tara was at work with her dad. She would rotate between answering phones, calling in prescriptions and filing paperwork – always with the promise of going out to lunch with her dad as a reward. This time sparked her love of the field of medicine and encouraged her to follow in his footsteps.
“I absolutely loved going to work with my dad,” Tara said. “He would always bribe me with lunch because he knew food was the way to my heart. I always happily agreed, but I would have gone without the promise of lunch. It was such a pleasure watching my dad interact with his patients. He loved being a physician. .”
Going to her dad’s practice was a unique experience. For Tara, no part of her dad’s job wasn’t mesmerizing. From the interactions with patients and seeing how much they loved her dad, to filing paperwork and making sure everything was in order, she wanted to be part of it.
Tara vividly remembers what medical school was like, especially those early years. While there was a lot of stress, there was also a lot of good – one being receiving her first stethoscope.
Photo Credit: Dr. Harold Nicolette and Tara Nicolette at her Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduation
While Tara didn’t choose to pursue her degree at HSC like her dad, she still remembers how fondly her dad spoke of his time at HSC. She recalls his smile when he talked about HSC.
“ I hadn’t realized that my father was still in touch with his medical school, but when I found a letter addressed to him from the UNTHSC Foundation raising money for the TCOM Stethoscope Program it was a no brainer. I was going to donate in his memory.”
That letter kickstarted what Tara now says is a lifetime of support for the first-year medical students at HSC. She herself knows exactly what it’s like to live through it and what it means to get your first stethoscope.
The stethoscope is both a lasting symbol in the field of medicine, but also a symbol that you’ve made it as a medical student, Tara explains. The stethoscope is a tool in medicine that will never go away – it’s something students will carry with them well beyond the classroom.
“If I could tell first year medical students anything, it would be to remember this isn’t real life,” Tara said. “It’s a portion of your life you have to go through to make your dreams come true, but studying for a test isn’t the same as being a doctor. Real life is coming and it’s a lot better.”
If you or someone you know would like to give to the TCOM Stethoscope program, please visit unthsc.edu/stethoscopes.
From HSC Newsroom - Community by Libby Maness