NAPOLEON – A love for science and passion for serving others fuels the drive of a local doctor everyday.
Dr. Samantha Bolman is a primary care physician specializing in pediatrics at Henry County Hospital. She started there about a year and a half ago after completing her residency at The University of Toledo.
Bolman indicated her parents knew she was interested in medicine when her favorite toy at four years old was a Barbie doctor’s kit; however, she remembers falling in love with science while taking an AP (Advanced Placement) Biology course in grade school.
“When I learned the processes of the body and the anatomy and the chemistry and the physiology, I just thought it was all so fascinating – how we were made and how we function,” she said.
Bolman noted her passion for science mixed with her interest in serving and caring for others helped her decide to pursue primary care.
“I am the medical home for these patients,” she said. “Even if they see multiple specialists, I’m the person who kind of gets to know about all of that, make sure that nothing’s falling through the cracks and that they’re cared for holistically.”
While completing her residency was one of the hardest things she ever did, she said she is proud of herself for getting through it. In particular, she reminisced on the time she just had her firstborn daughter, Ellie, and was driving back to work for a 12-hour shift in the early morning.
“I remember thinking that, ‘You just do it. You made a commitment to something, you had a goal, and you just do it,’” she said. “But I remember thinking … it was hard, it was challenging, and so I’m really proud of myself for being able to do that and to graduate.”
Now in her current position, she noted some parents may question whether they are “doing the right thing.” This is when being a mom, herself, can come in handy.
“If I can take that pressure off of people to be like, ‘You are doing your best. … Your child is happy. They’re growing, they’re thriving, they’re meeting their milestones, … keep up the good work,’ because I feel like every parent, especially moms, need to hear that,” she said. “… I get it. … I’ve been through it.”
For someone who pours her heart and soul into her work, it can get challenging for Bolman to juggle work and family life; however, her husband, Ricky, as well as her parents and others within her support system, help relieve some of that stress and tension.
“It just really has underscored the importance of having a village, and I know some people don’t have that, so I’m very grateful that I do,” she said.
Bolman and her family reside in her hometown of Defiance. When she isn’t working, Bolman enjoys playing golf with her husband, watching Disney movies with her daughter – who is now 2 years old – going to church and just being out in nature. Bolman was also excitedly expecting her second daughter, Reagan, at the time of her interview.