Left to right: Hana, Dr. Matsuda-Abedini, Dr. Miller, Sam

In April 2022 Dr. Steven Miller accepted the position of Chief of Pediatrics and Hudson Family Hospital Chair in Pediatric Medicine at BC Children’s Hospital. We sat down with Dr. Miller to talk about the defining moments of his life, his vision of the future of BC Children’s and his sources of inspiration.

Q: What were the defining moments in your life that led you to where you are today?

A: I went to medical school at McGill University, and late into my training I had an experience in Ghana as a global
health elective student that changed everything. I saw how children there would come to the hospital severely ill from meningitis or cerebral malaria, and weeks later they’d be playing soccer in the courtyard. I hadn’t expected to see that kind of recovery, and it made me wonder: who looks after brain issues in children?

That turned my attention to pediatric neurology. I trained in that field at Montreal Children’s Hospital and then moved to the University of California, San Francisco to train in neonatal neurology.

After my fellowship I was recruited to BC Children’s Hospital with my wife, Dr. Mina Matsuda-Abedini, a pediatric nephrologist. I started my faculty career here in Canada as a clinician scientist with a focus on
neonatal neurology.

After seven years I moved to SickKids in Toronto. My time there really opened my eyes to the importance of the breadth of child health and the impact that one can have in bringing together people from different disciplines with a common purpose of supporting better outcomes for children and their families.

I was super excited when the opportunity to move back to BC Children’s Hospital presented itself. The role
of head of pediatrics really appealed to me—fostering the success of others and the opportunity to bring
together people of different disciplines with the common purpose of promoting child health.

Q: When you imagine the future of BC Children’s Hospital, what energizes you?

A: I’d love to see true health equity for children and their families that’s fostered by the diversity and inclusivity
of our team. I want to see innovations in care that distinguish us and motivate people to come to BC Children’s Hospital for the most innovative care as we work with our partners on a system that makes sure that everyone in British Columbia has excellent care.

Q: Who inspires you, and why?

A: The families I am privileged to care for in the clinic are the most inspiring. Their courage and resilience are
remarkable. I am grateful for the generosity of the many parents who engage in patient-oriented research to inform the future of our research directions.

Q: What’s one thing you’d like everyone in BC to know?

A: I would remind everyone that kids are 20 per cent of our population and 100 per cent of our future, and it’s
going to take all of us working together to foster their health.

This article was originally featured in the Fall 2022 issue of Shine magazine.

Shine Fall 2022 | Download the PDF