When Samantha Miller (MS/PA '18) was 15, she was a force to be reckoned with on the field-hockey field. A year later, she was at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, receiving treatment for aplastic anemia鈥攁 rare condition in which the body stops producing red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
At first, Ms. Miller says she simply felt tired all the time. 鈥淚 thought maybe I had mono,鈥� she recalled. But as her body became unable to fight off even simple infections, she spent the next 10 years of her life in and out of hospitals, battling the complications associated with her disease.
鈥淚 had to take some time off from high school, but I was able to still do the work and graduate on time,鈥� said Ms. Miller, who also graduated from the University of the Sciences with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health sciences, with a concentration in physician assistant studies.
鈥淚 went to the NIH four times,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 participated in four clinical trials. I wanted to help myself, but I also wanted to help others who had this disease, too.鈥�
During her last stay at the NIH in 2011, Ms. Miller received a life-saving haplo-identical cord blood stem cell transplant. This consists of a combination of donated cord-blood stem cells, and half-matched cells from a related donor鈥攊n Ms. Miller鈥檚 case, her father. The cells were used to help facilitate the growth of new, healthy blood cells. She has been in remission ever since the procedure.
Ms. Miller said that her experience with the physician assistants (PAs) who cared for her at the NIH helped solidify her desire to become a PA herself. 鈥淭hey were incredible, they answered all my questions and made me feel safe. I trusted them completely. One in particular鈥攈er name was Theresa鈥攔eally made me want to become a PA. I have always said that I鈥檓 going to be her someday.鈥�
Most recently, Ms. Miller completed an emergency medicine rotation at the Ts茅hootsoo铆 Medical Center in Fort Defiance, Arizona, as part of the Indian Health Service. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a completely different environment,鈥� she explains. On a reservation of maybe 330,000 people, about half have electricity. So that鈥檚 something you have to be mindful of as a practitioner鈥攚hat other factors is your patient dealing with?鈥�
It鈥檚 that deeper dive into a patient鈥檚 life that is of particular interest to Ms. Miller. 鈥淚鈥檓 interested in the primary care setting, because you can really get to know your patients and develop a deep rapport with them.鈥�
She recalls the rapport she built with her own PAs while in the hospital. 鈥淚 experienced the healthcare system first-hand,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think that helps me relate to my patients on a deeper level.鈥�