Q&A with Sammi Tyler, DO, assistant professor, Division of Neonatology and Newborn Nursery
Hometown: East Meadow, New York
Educational/professional background: I was a neuroscience major at Union College in Schenectady, New York. I then served in the HealthCorps branch of AmeriCorps in Northern Florida before moving to Iowa for medical school at Des Moines University. At DMU, I also completed a pre-doctoral fellowship in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine with a teaching and clinical focus. I moved to Madison for residency at the University of Wisconsin.
Previous position (title, institution): I was a clinical instructor in the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics. I worked as a hospitalist in the NICU for a year before transitioning to the newborn nursery.
What is your field of research or area of clinical care, and how did you get into it? I was drawn to medicine through a deep interest in preventive care and a desire to accompany people during raw, meaningful moments in their lives. As a newborn hospitalist, I find it incredibly fulfilling to celebrate new beginnings and contribute my skills to promote the healthiest start possible to a baby’s life. I am extremely passionate about applying osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) into patient care, which allows me to provide hands-on treatment for common issues like feeding difficulties. I get to apply this osteopathic approach in both inpatient and outpatient pediatric care at UPH-Meriter and the Osher Integrative Medicine clinic, respectively.
How would you describe your work to a 5-year-old? I help make sure babies are healthy when they are born so they can go home with their families. I also use my hands to help babies’ and older kids’ bodies work and feel even better.
What attracted you to UW–Madison? I have always been amazed by the collective generosity, wisdom, and open-mindedness of the faculty in our department. I have also come to love Madison more than any other place I have lived before!
What is your favorite thing to do in Madison? I love paddleboarding on Lake Wingra at sunset, especially combined with a floating picnic dinner.
What’s one thing you hope trainees will learn from you and your work? That our hands are powerful tools, and the importance of physical exam skills should not be underestimated.
Do you feel your work relates to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how. Every day, I apply the knowledge and skills I have acquired over years of training to shift the trajectory of my patients’ lives toward a healthy, fulfilling life.
What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter during video chats and parties? It is estimated that a baby’s body undergoes 40 pounds of pressure during a routine vaginal delivery. That pressure, especially when the delivery process is complicated by other factors, can really impact a baby’s body, including their feeding reflexes.
What are some of your hobbies and other interests? I love walking-and-talking, practicing yoga, trying dirty chai lattes with my fiancée at different coffee shops around Madison, making pottery, and hiking (especially in national parks).