"My family would have been considered below the poverty line, which came with its own challenges, but I knew that if I wanted to change the trajectory of my family, I had to be the change I wanted to see."
Name: Garred “Matt” Miller
Program/Year: Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, 2025
Hometown: Jackson, TN
Undergraduate degree:
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, TN
Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance; Minor: Chemistry, 2015
Union University, Germantown, TN, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 2019
What inspired you to pursue a healthcare career?
My initial interest in healthcare arose from a desire to establish a generational path of prosperity for myself and my family. I didn't have an example or blueprint for achieving these aims, but it was a dream. As I continued to discover more about myself, I realized that what I desire in life is to use my talents to be an answer to a problem. Nursing provided me with that opportunity. Healthcare is unique because you are frequently the primary individual a patient encounters on what may be the worst day of their life. That's where the impact starts.
How did your background and history factor into your career choice?
I am the first healthcare professional in my family. I grew up in a small city in Tennessee. My family would have been considered below the poverty line, which came with its own challenges, but I knew that if I wanted to change the trajectory of my family, I had to be the change I wanted to see. I like to joke that I didn't pick anesthesia, it chose me. I was unaware of nurse anesthesia until 2017, when I decided to attend nursing school. My mentor introduced me to the profession, and I was sold from that day on. Shortly after, I was introduced to the Diversity CRNA Mentorship Program, which I have been involved with since 2018. I was lucky to find mentors who offered me the roadmap and confidence to pursue this career. Anesthesia is a unique approach to combining direct patient care, skills, research, and, most importantly, pharmacology to deliver safe and efficient treatment. This is the aspect that drew me to nurse anesthesia.
Why did you decide to attend Midwestern University?
I knew nothing about Midwestern University until I attended a Diversity CRNA Zoom session in 2020, where our director, Dr. Fisher, presented information on the program. I was impressed by Midwestern's anesthesia department, so I put it on my list of potential universities. Every time I asked about the program, former students had nothing but great things to say. The Midwestern anesthesia program has an excellent reputation among institutions across the U.S., and I can now see why. I chose Midwestern based on my interview experience and the callback I received from the faculty. It was really personal; they remembered what we discussed and told me that the only guarantee they could make was to try their utmost to make me the finest anesthesia provider possible. This piqued my interest, and I relocated my family across the country because I believed them! I have received training in the most recent techniques connected to anesthesia, including transesophageal echocardiography and point-of-care ultrasound. The faculty place high importance on offering residents access to materials so we can stay up-to-date on the latest evidence-based practice skills within our scope of practice.
What about your Midwestern University education do you want to carry forward in your career?
Midwestern has taught me more than I could have expected. The anesthesia program emphasizes current evidence-based practice and the relevance of implementing it in clinical practice. The faculty focus on more than just book knowledge and abilities; they also emphasize what it takes to be a great colleague. The value that I will take from my Midwestern education is to constantly be curious. The famous question in anesthesia is, "but what does that mean?" Remembering that there is always more to the story and remaining curious expands your knowledge and makes you the best provider you can be for your patients.
