Maria Suter-ThallemerThroughout her college career, Maria Suter-Thallemer has maintained an open mind and a willingness to try new things.
When she first arrived at the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”) after finishing high school in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was focused on cheerleading for the university and enjoying the small, college-town environment of Oxford. She also sought out and explored a range of academic experiences, prompting several changes in her major.
“I switched my major, admittedly, six times,” said Suter-Thallemer.
Eventually, she discovered social work, a discipline that stoked her passion for helping others.
“[I study social work because of] my desire to really know the world. I think social works offers a really awesome opportunity to focus on diversity and inclusion,” said Suter-Thallemer. “[It makes you consider] what role you can play in adding to the progression of what our world is going to be in 20 years.”
As her interest in social work grew and graduation neared, she began to evaluate Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. During this period, a dear friend unexpectedly encouraged her to take a brief trip to Birmingham to visit the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She embraced the advice, made the trip, and spent a whirlwind 11 hours in the city and on the campus.
“I walked around the campus by myself, and I was blown away by the diversity that UAB’s campus had to offer and Birmingham in general,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It was unlike any other place in the South... I’ll probably be here the rest of my life.”
She was also attracted to the uniqueness of the university’s MSW program. Currently, UAB’s Department of Social Work offers one of the only Clinical/Medical MSW programs in the country, which piqued Suter-Thallemer’s interest.
According to the department, “The mission of the Clinical/Medical MSW program at UAB is to educate students for careers in specialized, competent, and evidence-informed practice in health and behavioral health that responds to the complex needs of people and community in the face of an increasingly interconnected world.” It is a mission that aligns with Suter-Thallemer’s career aspirations and values, so, she enrolled in the program in Fall 2022.
So far, the program has equipped her with new skills, experiences, and connections that will benefit her for years to come.
“Our professors have so much background…in clinical and medical social work. While they’ve provided us with the tools to handle the realm of healthcare, they’ve also given us a lot of tools to figure out things that set our soul on fire for social work and different outlets and avenues for what this job can look like,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It’s been a huge gift to learn from them. [And] my cohort has been great.”
Currently, Suter-Thallemer is navigating a 600-hour clinical placement at the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine. She focuses on adolescent psychiatric social work, while working alongside an interdisciplinary team of social workers, occupational therapists, doctors, and others. The experience has had a powerful impact on her.
“It’s something I hope to pursue after graduation [in December 2023]. As of right now, I definitely plan to take the mental health care route,” said Suter-Thallemer.
And, clearly, the department and its faculty have helped to illuminate that route for her.
“One thing, specifically, that the MSW program is good at… is cultivating us to be people with our own personalities to go out and do a job that we really love to do. And, in doing that, I feel like they are able to really take what we have to say and turn it into something very meaningful. They’re able to prepare us for what’s to come after graduation,” said Suter-Thallemer. “It has been nothing short of perfect.”
Learn more about the Clinical/Medical MSW program at UAB by visiting the Department of Social Work’s website.
