Building Something Bigger: From Medical School to Medical Director, Dr. Amber Samuel’s Unexpected Path to Leadership in Maternal-Fetal Medicine
By: Faith Jeffcoat
"There is no part of the human experience that isn’t impacted by the care of an ob-gyn in some way. By bringing your best self to your patients, you can make things a little better for an entire existence.”
As a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine, Amber Samuel had always been drawn to the complexities of medicine, but it wasn’t until she heard this perspective from Dr. Amy Young, her Medical Student Director at the time, that she understood the real impact of ob-gyn care.
It was a specialty that went beyond delivering babies and performing surgeries — it was about shaping lives, advocating for patients, and influencing generations through care.
That realization set Amber on a path that would shape her career.
By the time she began her residency at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in 2006, she was certain about her calling as an ob-gyn. But there was one more thing she knew for sure — maternal-fetal medicine was not the path she wanted to take.
“I knew the one thing I did not want to do was maternal-fetal medicine,” Dr. Samuel admits with a laugh. “But during my first rotation in labor and delivery, I found that nothing brought me as much joy as working with the patients and physicians in that unit. The energy, the teamwork, the challenge of managing complex pregnancies, the variety of cases — it was a chance to help families during one of the most pivotal times in their lives. I never witnessed humanity’s joy, grace, and grief more than on the labor floor.”
During her intern year, the intensity of labor and delivery tested not only her clinical skills but also her identity as a physician.
“During my time on the labor floor, I learned that I could be there for people during the good and hard times. It’s hard to say when you know exactly who you are as a person, but I can 100% say that my intern night rotation on labor and delivery at Magee was exactly when I knew who I was as a doctor.”
Dr. Samuel credits her growth not only to the clinical training she received at Magee but also to the lessons she learned from mentors like Dr. Hy Simhan: “He’s the kind of person who inspires you to be your best, not just as a doctor, but as a person. Hy has this unique ability to think quickly on his feet and approach every challenge with a solution-oriented mindset. He cares deeply about his patients, especially those facing recurrent pregnancy loss, and that passion left a lasting impression on me. He pushed me to always strive for more—smarter, kinder, and more compassionate care.”
After completing her residency at UPMC Magee, Dr. Samuel pursued a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center, where she quickly realized that the well-rounded training she received at Magee had equipped her with skills and expertise that set her apart.
Following her fellowship, Dr. Samuel took a job as the Director of the Perinatal Center at Emory Midtown. A year later, she and her husband moved to The Woodlands, Texas, to be closer to family. Faced with limited maternal-fetal medicine opportunities in the area, she joined Pediatrix Medical Group as Medical Director, working alongside a small team of neonatologists in Houston who needed a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
As the community’s demand for maternal-fetal medicine grew, so did the practice. Over the next 10 years, Dr. Samuel led its transformation from a small team into a thriving operation.
“This growth was a natural response to a growing community need. As the demand for maternal-fetal medicine services increased, so did the need for more providers, which in turn allowed the practice to expand its reach even further”
What began with just a handful of staff evolved into Obstetrix-Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Houston — now a dynamic group of 13 physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, and 130 staff members across eight locations, serving approximately 4,500 patients a month.
“It was never part of my plan to lead a large practice or build something from the ground up. But in doing so, I realized I lacked formal training in business and finance, so I pursued an executive MBA at Northwestern, balancing coursework on nights and weekends while continuing to grow the practice. It gave me a better understanding of the business side of healthcare, allowing me to shape something meaningful—focusing on practice culture, patient care, and evidence-based medicine.”
While the practice’s growth has been remarkable, Dr. Samuel attributes much of that success to the team’s shared values. “We’ve built a culture of kindness and collaboration,” she says. “Every day, I see our staff go above and beyond for our patients. It’s not just about providing medical care — it’s about creating a compassionate, patient-centered environment.”
Her path wasn’t what she expected — but, as Dr. Samuel reflects, “Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I could have done anything else as well.”
As her career continues to evolve, Dr. Samuel remains committed to staying involved and continually learning. “Maternal-fetal medicine is a dynamic field, and you need to stay engaged, whether it's reading or interacting with researchers or in my case, connecting with professional societies like the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM),” Dr. Samuel says.
Her advice to alumni navigating their own career paths is twofold: First, follow your heart—life often leads you to places you never imagined. Second, focus on the relationships you build along the way:
“The connections I formed with fellow trainees and faculty at Magee have played a huge role in shaping my career. I still stay in close contact with some of my co-residents. And the lessons I learned at Magee continue to guide me every day.”
Read the full Spring 2025 issue of Magee Matters here.