12/01/2025
Meet December Member of the Month Samantha Puhl! Sam is an active member of APACVS, and has recently taken over as our Social Media Committee Chair!
Read about Sam Below:
I’m honored to be the APACVS member highlighted this month! I currently practice as a Cardiac Surgery PA at Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, NC, where I’ve spent the last three years growing alongside an incredible team. I’m grateful to work in a program that does everything from minimally invasive cardiac surgery to bread-and-butter CABGs, as well as transplants and VADs.
I’ve been a member of APACVS since I graduated, and the community has given me outstanding professional connections and introduced me to so many fantastic colleagues. I’m involved in the Research & Guidelines Committeeand the Women’s Committee, and I recently stepped into the role of Chair of the Social Media Committee, which I’m very excited about.
Outside of work, I just got married in September to my husband, whom I met during PA school while he was working in medical sales. We share our home with our two rescue dogs—Rocky (a collie-lab mix) and Jett (a collie-greyhound mix). A highlight of 2025 for me was meeting the bass guitarist for CREED at our wedding venue during a walk through and then scoring tickets to their concert the next day!
Although I love nearly every aspect of cardiac surgery, what means the most to me is the relationships I’ve built with my coworkers. The hospital truly feels like a second home, especially with the time, energy, and heart we all put into caring for our patients.
I’m also looking forward to the upcoming APACVS Annual Conference in Milwaukee, WI—just about 20 minutes from where I grew up and where my better 2/3rds still live (I'm a triplet). I’m excited to continue highlighting APACVS through social media and to keep connecting with this amazing community.
Congratulations Sam and thank you for your commitment to APACVS!
