Story #98: Amy Schneider Makes Her Healthcare Work International

Dr. Amy Schneider ‘74’s career in medicine has been defined by her commitment to family and community care, a dedication that began during her time with PBHA and has shaped her work throughout her life. After graduating from the College in 1974 and then Harvard Medical School in 1978, Dr. Schneider opened her practice in Tilton, New Hampshire, later relocating to Andover in 2004, where she became the first medical practice in the town in over 30 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Schneider’s experience at PBHA was pivotal, as it inspired her to pursue a path in family and community medicine, even as the medical school environment often pushed her in other directions. As she shared in PBHA’s 2023 Alumni Survey:

"PBH helped me realize that my life wasn’t complete unless I was part of a larger purpose….[I valued] the ownership I felt I had in the programs I worked in, the support we all got from each other, the importance of the work we were doing, the personal satisfaction of seeing what that work meant.” - Amy Schneider

This is a mindset that has guided her work in both rural and urban settings. Schneider’s medical journey includes unique experiences across the globe, from her practice in rural Hawaii to her work in Ireland. However, it was her time at PBHA that provided the foundation for her patient-centered approach to care.

"PBH was the only way I was able to stay in touch with the real world outside of the university. After PBH, I entered Harvard Medical School and the perspective there was very different. My experience at PBH gave me the strength to continue on my path of family and community medicine in spite of all the ways the medical school tried to convince me otherwise.” - Amy Schneider

This commitment to service, paired with the hands-on, community-focused education she received through PBHA, has been integral in Schneider’s career, allowing her to provide compassionate care and foster lasting relationships with patients in every community she’s served. PBHA is so proud of Dr. Schneider for pushing boundaries and striving to reach her work to communities all over the world.

Read an interesting local paper about her work here.