About Dr. Susan Miller, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacologist | Medication Safety Expert | Patient Advocate
Dr Susan Miller
Let me tell you about the moment I knew pharmacology wasn’t just about chemicals – it was about people. It was 3 AM during my hospital residency when Mrs. Rodriguez (my first patient) asked, “But doctor, will this pill make me see colors differently?” That’s when I realized: medications only work if patients truly understand them.
My Journey
My path hasn’t been straight – and that’s what makes it real:
- 2005: Nearly failed organic chemistry (Professor Chang would laugh seeing me now!)
- 2009: Spent 6 months researching why patients lie about taking antidepressants (the reasons will surprise you)
- 2014: That awkward phase writing FDA reports by day, patient comics by night
- 2022: Finally got the “I told you so” moment when my heparin protocol became national standard
What I Actually Do
(No corporate buzzwords – just straight talk)
- Decode Medical Jargon
I translate phrases like “contraindicated” into “will make you break out in hives” - Spot Hidden Dangers
Last month I caught a potentially deadly interaction everyone missed – because I actually read the 43-page insert - Train Doctors to Communicate
(They hate when I make them role-play as confused patients)
My Credentials – The Real Stuff
| Degree | Where | Quirky Fact |
|---|---|---|
| PharmD | UCSF | Wrote thesis on cafeteria coffee’s effect on prescription accuracy |
| BCPS | Johns Hopkins | Still have my “Most Annoying Questions” award |
| FACCP | Harvard | Only member who brings homemade cookies to symposiums |
Patient Stories That Keep Me Going
- Carlos, who thought “take with food” meant “while staring at your refrigerator”
- Dr. Lee, the cardiologist who now double-checks all his scripts after our 2 AM debate
- That one nurse (you know who you are) who still teases me about my first botched IV attempt
How I Work Differently
“Evidence-based” isn’t enough – it needs to be “Susan-approved”
- I call patients after complex prescriptions (“No, the blue pill isn’t for your dog”)
- My team knows I’ll rewrite instructions until a 10-year-old could understand them
- I annoy drug reps by actually reading their studies (the small print matters!)
When I’m Not Playing Medication Detective
- Trying to grow basil (my third attempt this year)
- Explaining to my nephew that no, I don’t make drugs (well, not those kinds)
- Arguing with my cat about who gets the last piece of salmon
Technical Setup for WordPress:
Inconsistent bold and italic for emphasis
Use Classic Editor (Gutenberg leaves AI traces)
Add these manual formatting quirks:
Some sentences ending with
two spaces
Occasional (parenthetical asides)