Dr. Merriam is a clinician-educator who has worked as a women's health attending physician since 2017. In this capacity, she serves as the primary care physician for Veterans within the mid-Atlantic region. She also works closely with residents and medical students as a clinical preceptor and advisor. Dr. Merriam also serves as the co-chair of the VAPHS Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, which serves a mission of providing uniform and consistent drug therapy across the region VAPHS serves.
Dr. Merriam's primary research interests center around the development, implementation, and evaluation of curricula within the domain of physician leadership and women's health. Dr. Merriam has disseminated scholarly work which represents a variety of medical education research methods, curricular and program evaluations, curricular publication, review articles, and policy statements, among others. She has been nationally recognized for her scholarship, with expertise in Delphi methodology.
Dr. Merriam teaches masters level courses in teaching skills and leadership and leads programs to support faculty career development within the Division. In addition, she continues to actively mentor residents and fellows in their own research and education projects.
- BS, Biochemistry, Marshall University, 2007
- MD, University of Pittsburgh, 2011
- Internal Medicine Residency, University of Pittsburgh, 2014
- Chief Medical Residency, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2015
- Academic Clinician Educator Scholars Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, 2017
- Women's Health Fellowship, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 2017
- MS, Medical Education, University of Pittsburgh, 2017
Education & Training
McNeil MA, Merriam SB. Menopause (an "In the Clinic" feature). Ann Intern Med. 2021; 174(7):ITC97-112.
Klein AJ, Dakroub A, McNeil M, Wang R, Rothenberger SD, Merriam SB. Establishing consensus on the most important teaching skills for internal medicine residents in clinician educator tracks: A modified Delphi study. Acad Med. 20205; 100(07):836-843.
Ortiz Worthington R, Sekar D, McNeil MA, Rothenberger S, Merriam S. Development and pilot testing of a longitudinal skills-based feedback and conflict resolution curriculum for internal medicine residents. Acad Med. 2023; 99(4):414-418.
Merriam S, Rothenberger SD, Corbelli JA. Establishing competencies for leadership development for postgraduate medical residents. J Grad Med Educ. 2021; 13(5):682-690.
- Hamolsky Award Finalist, Society of General Internal Medicine, 2020
- STAR Award, Outstanding Patient Care, VA Pittsburgh Medical System, 2020
- Finalist, David M. Worthen Rising Star Award, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 2020-2023
- Finalist, David M. Worthen Innovator Award, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, 2024-2025
- Holzinger Outstanding Teaching Attending Award, UPMC Internal Medicine Residency, 2024
- Inductee, Academy of Master Educators, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2024
- Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2025
- Excellence in Teaching Award, Institute for Clinical Research Education, University of Pittsburgh, 2025
