Samantha Barbour

• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Bio

Samantha “Sam” Barbour, MD, DPT (she/her/hers) joined DFMCH in 2025 as a resident. Barbour started her career as a physical therapist and is passionate about movement as medicine. She worked in an acute care setting and learned the importance of mobility in the hospital while enjoying being part of an interdisciplinary team.

As a DFMCH Summer Student Research & Clinical Assistantship program participant, Barbour studied patient responses to MyChart messages that asked what they wanted their doctor to know about them prior to establishing care. Through this project she gained an appreciation for the importance of the patient-physician relationship.

Barbour is part of a physician writer’s group and has an interest in the medical humanities. She was a student instructor for the Healer’s Art course during her first and second year of medical school and led a peer discussion group on humanism in medicine.

Outside of medicine, Barbour enjoys road and mountain biking, running, gardening, writing, and spending time with her family.

Professional Interests

• Pregnancy, obstetric, and postpartum care
• Developing trusting long-term relationships with patients and incorporating their life stories and experiences into their care
• Using a holistic approach to treat chronic conditions
• Incorporating elements such as healthy eating patterns, exercise/movement, and emotional wellbeing into patient care