Jen BadieAbout Leah Millstein, MD
Millstein, associate professor, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), is passionate about medical student education, directing the Rural-MD Scholars Program, including the Rural Health Equity and Access Longitudinal Elective, and the Ambulatory course for fourth-year medical students. An educator at UMSOM since 2008, Millstein holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics. She served as assistant director of the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency from 2010 to 2024 and associate director of the Pediatric Residency Program from 2011 to 2024. Students and colleagues previously have recognized Millstein for her teaching excellence. She has been honored with UMSOM’s Ambulatory Medicine Teacher of the Year Award twice for her work with internal medicine residents and was selected as a fellow of the Pass and Susel Academy of Educational Excellence at UMSOM.
Impact
In just two years, Millstein has transformed the Rural-MD Scholars initiative from a concept into a four-year academic scholarship program with the urgent mission of preparing physicians to work in underserved rural communities such as Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Rural-MD Scholars Program offers immersive experiences including interactions with rural patients and practitioners, procedural and didactic learning, and a deep dive into the social determinants affecting rural health. Students are mentored by rural physicians, undertake clinical clerkships and rotations on the Eastern Shore, and commit to a minimum of four years of service in the community after medical school and residency training. As director, Millstein has recruited the program’s third cohort and secured funding to ensure that all participants receive full tuition support, removing financial barriers and strengthening the program’s ability to attract committed students. In addition, she has designed and implemented a longitudinal curriculum that meaningfully integrates rural health across all phases of medical education and has built strong partnerships with physician-educators on the Shore. Millstein said her work is rewarding because the Rural-MD Scholars team is designing meaningful learning experiences for students. And her students appreciate those efforts, with one of the Rural-MD Scholars calling her a caring mentor and leader who is invested in students’ personal and professional growth.
Quotes
“Dr. Millstein creates learning environments in which students feel supported, challenged, and genuinely known. She is an accessible and highly intentional mentor who invests in her trainees and follows their development over time. Students consistently describe her as someone who is deeply committed to their success and their growth as future physicians. I can say with complete confidence that she represents the very best of our institution and our profession.”
— Donna L. Parker, MD, professor and senior associate dean for medical education, UMSOM
“She works tirelessly on educational innovations, never expecting accolades for her work. She lifts others up and often stands in the background to allow others to shine. She is warm, kind, and caring with patients, colleagues, and learners. She is creative in her approach to teaching. She is a humble servant-leader, fantastic physician, role model, mentor, and incredible educator.”
— Erin L. Giudice, MD, associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, and associate program director, Pediatric Residency Program, UMSOM
“When they can connect what they are learning today to a real patient, the material becomes more meaningful and memorable. That perspective helps students become lifelong learners and better physicians.”
— Millstein
