AUPHA: What's your educational background and why did you choose the area(s) of study that you did?
Miller: M. H. A. 1983 St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
JD 1976 Washington College of Law, the American University, Washington, DC
BA 1974 Political Science/Secondary Education, ChathamCollege (now Chatham University), Pittsburgh, PA
I chose political science to study in college because of my interest in government and its relationship and impact on the daily lives of citizens. An example is health care as a “political topic and tool”. Who has access to it and why? How are resources distributed? This interest and a growing fascination with politics and public service led to law school where I discovered the emerging field of health law. This appeared to me to be the perfect blend of my natural interest areas…politics, law and medical ethics.
As a result I am interested in documenting and evaluating the effect of a coordinated effort to reduce the prevalence of diseases and morbidity among uninsured and underserved populations, particularly among African-Americans and Latinos.
AUPHA: Tell us about the jobs you held before you got into academe
Miller: I am primarily an educator, but I worked for many years (20+) in executive management positions in general acute care hospital and ambulatory care environments. My professional work afforded me the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States and abroad to Africa.
AUPHA: Where have you held faculty appointments during your career?
Miller: I was a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland, University College, for many years and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for two years before coming to Pfeiffer in 1999 fulltime.
AUPHA: What is your current position and what made you choose the program you are currently appointed to?
Miller: I am Chair of the Department of Health Administration and Director for Healthcare Programs at Pfeiffer University. It is Pfeiffer’s largest and best academic program. I hold the rank of full Professor teaching required courses in the School of Adult Studies and Master of Health Administration programs. I was promoted into this current position in July 2012 after 14 years of progressive teaching and service to the University.
AUPHA: Tell us what's unique about your program, faculty, students.
Miller: The Department of Health Administration prepares servant leaders to shape the future of healthcare locally, nationally and
globally. The strengths/uniqueness/niche of our program are:
- International travel trips
- Highly competent faculty with both academic and applied experience in a wide variety of healthcare organizations
- We deliver our curriculum at university campus locations, employer-based cohort site locations, and online
- Faculty are dedicated to the maintenance of high academic rigor balanced by reasonable student learning standards for adult learners
- Primary focus on both classroom and hybrid educational models with emphasis on quality classroom delivery.
- Focus on practical learning, thus enabling graduates to add value / shape the future of their professions in general, and their work sites in particular.
- We enjoy significant name/brand recognition, helping to generate sizeable and consistent student-based referrals; particularly in cohort locations.
AUPHA: What's the greatest challenge you face in your role at your current program?
Miller: The effective use of changing technology in various teaching platforms is a challenge for me as an administrator and as a professor. As soon as you master, or think you have mastered something new, it changes again; thus the need for a commitment to “life-long learning.”
AUPHA: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment during your tenure at your current program?
Miller: All classes are taught in the classroom, online or at employer-based cohort locations. I was instrumental in the development of Pfeiffer’s online program.
I was chosen as the first recipient of sabbatical leave in the history of Pfeiffer University during fall 2005 semester for the purpose of working on developing the new legal and organizational structure of CACHE (Carolinas Association for Community Health Equity) a partnership association dedicated to the elimination of health disparities in the Carolinas. This was a wonderful sabbatical experience that continues to inform my teaching.
I am a Teacher-Trainer and Faculty Mentor. I coached one former graduate student through her doctoral program, and have another currently enrolled at Antioch. I’m very proud of that. I think we all have a responsibility to leave someone in our place when we retire.
AUPHA: What keeps you in this field, despite the challenges you mentioned above?
Miller: I enjoy learning and I realize that you have to keep moving forward in order to remain “relevant”. I also have a creative side of my personality so learning new teaching programs is somewhat exciting. I just wish I had more time to master a format before it changes into something else again.
AUPHA: If making a living/money were not a consideration, what would you be doing instead or what would you do in retirement?
Miller: I would read all the books I haven’t had time to read and then return to my own poetry and essay writing. I would also like to learn to knit.