Former Warriors use their experience at LCSC to help them succeed in medical school

5-11-07

Ryan Heitman and Sennett Pierce weren’t classmates or best friends joined at the hip growing up, but the two have remained teammates long beyond their playing days. 

The two were born a year apart, but became acquainted with each other during Babe Ruth baseball in Lewiston. They were teammates at Lewiston High School and then again with the Lewis-Clark Twins American Legion program. Heitman graduated from LHS in 1997, and Pierce graduated a year later. 

Although their paths were different, both ended up playing baseball at Lewis-Clark State College. Pierce, an infielder, came to LCSC out of high school, while Heitman red-shirted a year and then played a year at Taft Junior College before pitching at LCSC for three seasons—starting in 2002. 

The two former Warriors agree that being a member of the LCSC baseball team prepared them to handle any situation that arises in their lives—both of which, even outside of baseball, are still connected. 

Both are currently in medical school at Des Moines University in Iowa. Heitman is in his fourth and final year, and will graduate at the end of this month. He’ll be moving to Lacey, Wash., and will intern at the Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis. 

Pierce (shown left in a photo from 2000) is at the other end of the spectrum, wrapping up his first year. After graduating from LCSC with a degree in Human Biology, Pierce worked at Pathologist’s Regional Laboratory at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston for two years before entering medical school. 

Pierce credits his former teammate with helping make the choice of where to attend. “He and I are a lot alike and I talked with him about the school,” Pierce says. “Had he not gone there, I doubt I would have, but I went on his recommendation. I trusted his opinion and I had chance to visit the place—and he was dead on.” 

Pierce said the low cost of living and the fact that Des Moines reminds him a lot of Boise, where he was born and spent his early childhood, played strong roles in his decision. 

For Pierce, medical school has been his goal since high school. “I was always good at taking test in college and memorizing science and stuff like that… I enjoy academic challenges so I thought I would just go for it and see where I end up.” 

So far, it’s been what he has expected—a lot of long hours studying and reading. However, he also adds, that it has been exciting to look back and see what he has learned during the year. 

Perhaps one of the more challenging aspects of attending Des Moines University is its affect on his personal life. His wife, Rachel, stayed in Lewiston during the school year to complete her master’s in Social Work through a Boise State University program offered at LCSC. Rachel went through the program’s graduation ceremony during the first weekend of May, which Pierce came home to attend. Rachel will be moving to Des Moines at the end of May. “Being apart made it a little extra challenging this year, but in a way it was good for both of us because we had a lot of time devoted to studying and we didn’t feel like we neglected each other. If we had to be apart, this was the ideal year.” 

As far as his future practice is concerned, Pierce says he would like to specialize on the ear, nose and throat area, but that this preference might change over time. He also plans to move back to Lewiston once he finishes school. 

He gives credit to the LCSC baseball program and coach Ed Cheff for helping him reach his goals. He contends that playing for the Warriors prepared him for life challenges because it taught him to work hard and how to get to a new level of self discipline—and this level he now applies to his studies. 

“I think about those days and my teammates probably a couple of times a week,” Pierce says. “It’s fun to see the players that I played with and against having success. Jason [Ellison] is in Seattle, and I played against Jeff Francis and Jason Bay. I have a lot of fond memories of LCSC.”

Heitman (shown left in a photo from 2000) also enjoys recollecting on his days as a Warrior, “There are a lot of things that come to mind,” he says. “Probably the best memories are just having the World Series come back to Lewiston and playing in front of the hometown crowd.

Used mainly as a relief pitcher, Heitman, in his three years, compiled an overall record of 10-2. He earned a degree in Kinesiology in 2002, and then took a year off, before starting medical school. 

Heitman’s area of interest is OBGYN. He is on a four-year military scholarship to attend medical school and must give four years of service to the military after his residency. 

Heitman recently spent a couple of weeks in Lewiston and will return this summer for he and his wife, Aimee’s, ten year high school reunion. The couple have three children, Ayden, who will be six in June, Mesya, who is three, and Lauryn who will turn one this month. 

Having saved up his time off to spend it this month with the family before beginning his internship, Heitman has enjoyed some free time during the month of May. “I’ve had some time to relax and enjoy things because it will get really busy again with the internship and residency.” 

He says he sees Pierce on occasion during rotations, and the two remain in touch despite their different schedules. 

Like Pierce, Heitman says he looks back regularly on his LCSC days and sees them both as a memorable and valuable experience.  

“Playing for coach Cheff you learn so much about life—not just baseball. You learn how to meet challenges. It was great to learn from him. My time there is definitely a good memory.”