Samantha Busch, a 2024 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4^th-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH). Originally from Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, Samantha attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison as an undergraduate where she majored in Biochemistry, with certificates in Biocore and Classical and Near Eastern Studies. During her time as an undergraduate, she was the co-founder and president of a student organization, Building Bases, whose mission was to provide direct support for families and children experiencing homelessness while also promoting educational events to raise awareness about the effects of systemic inequities and high rent prices across the nation.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Samantha served as an AmeriCorps Medicaid Outreach Specialist with the Dane County Department of Human Services and the Dane County Jail in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. She worked directly with over 250 individuals in homeless day shelters and jail to provide community outreach, food and Medicaid enrollment assistance, and healthcare education. The goals of her service included improving access to healthcare coverage and preventative care among low or no-income individuals, reducing recidivism, and promoting health justice in the community. After being witness to a seemingly never-ending struggle of individuals having difficulty obtaining everyday necessities, let alone the challenge of navigating the complex health system, she came to realize that the impact of poverty on individuals’ health must be recognized and addressed at each patient encounter.

At UWSMPH, Samantha is enrolled as a Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH) student, an urban training track that helps students hone their public health and advocacy skills while working with diverse and medically underserved communities. In addition to her clinical rotations, she completed a community health project alongside Aurora Health and COA-Goldin Center teams to support a new satellite clinic in an area with dense disparities in health and health care. Samantha also spent her time participating in research regarding inpatient pediatric availability with the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (UWDFMCH). She will ultimately be graduating with Path of Distinctions in Research and Public Health at her institution.

Samantha is a passionate family medicine advocate and has served in numerous family medicine leadership roles with UW Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG), the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians – Foundation, Family Medicine Midwest Conference Planning Committee, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) FMIG, and most recently on the Student Teachers of Family Medicine Board of Directors. Samantha has been recognized for her commitment to community service, clinical and academic performance, and leadership with multiple awards from the UWDFMCH. Samantha was also recently inducted into the AOA.

Her leadership experiences have kindled an interest in academic medicine, where she hopes to continue teaching and mentoring the next generation of medical students. As a family physician, Samantha hopes to continue working to find ways to bridge the gaps that persist in our medical system by providing culturally competent and full spectrum care for all.

Outside of medicine, Samantha enjoys gardening with her significant other and family. She also loves to travel and hopes to explore all over the world in the future. She enjoys listening to music, attending concerts, and making crafts with her friends and family.