Sam was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She then attended Duke University, graduating with a B.S. in neuroscience and global health (’19). Alongside Dr. Michael Haglund and the Duke Global Neurosurgery & Neurology research group, she worked on-site with local neurosurgery staff at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) in Uganda to tackle high infection rates. Sam then went on to obtain her MD at Harvard Medical School (’24), where she continued to pursue global neurosurgery. Under the mentorship of Dr. Alexandra Golby, she participated in the development and validation of an early-stage, low-cost neuronavigation system for low-resource settings, called “NousNav.” Outside of neurosurgery, Sam passionately advocates for the representation, inclusion, and equitable treatment of medical trainees who live with chronic illness, health conditions, or disability. Her spare time is spent wine tasting, indoor cycling, and exploring local art museums.
Undergraduate – Duke University
Medical School – Harvard Medical Schoo