Shandiin Sam, MD

 Family Medicine allowed me the flexibility to care for everyone from birth to the elderly. I loved the connections Family Physicians have with their patients, asking about their family members and reliving positive moments in their lives. It was heartwarming to know I wouldn’t be just a doctor, but also a trusted confidant to my patients. I want to be the bridge to my patients understanding Western medicine, as my passion is to give back to the Native American and rural communities. Thus, I hope to train broad spectrum or focus on maternal-infant health. Recently, I was introduced to how policies are made, and I hope to explore more of the advocacy side of medicine. UNM was the perfect choice to train for me because it is a “minority-majority” state, I loved that they have a continuity clinic with Indian Health Service, and there are so many opportunities to explore several of my interests.