Dynamic duo: mother and son bond while attending OSU-COM together

It’s natural for a mom to beam with pride over her child’s accomplishments. Terresa Miller, OMS IV, goes one step further by telling everyone that Cody Miller, OMS I, is not only a fellow medical student but also her son.

“Everyone knows I’m her son, even the security guard,” says Cody, who finds his mother’s pride endearing and amusing.

Terresa and Cody Miller are the first mother and son to attend the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa at the same time, according to the Sand Springs Leader.

Terresa spends much of her time off-campus completing rotations, but she is able to assist her son by sharing her books and review materials with him.

“I can truly appreciate what Cody went through to get accepted into medical school because I went through the same challenging process. I’m much more proud of him than I could ever be for myself,” she says.

The road to medicine

After marrying her high school sweetheart, Terresa postponed her dream of attending medical school so she could focus on starting a family. She worked as a medical assistant before becoming a teacher. The lessons she learned from her academic career are proving to be useful as she begins a new career in medicine.

“Being a teacher really helped me become more efficient with my time. I also learned how to communicate more effectively by talking to parents and students about science at their level,” she says.

Incidentally, her 16-year tenure as a high school science teacher prompted Cody’s interest in biology, anatomy and the possibility of one day pursuing a career in the medical field.

“I always enjoyed science because my mom was a science teacher. When she applied to medical school, she encouraged me to apply,” he says.

Osteopathic dreams

Both mother and son became interested in osteopathic medicine after learning about osteopathic manipulative treatment and seeing doctors use it during a mission trip to Honduras when Cody Miller was in high school.

“Despite the limited resources we had available, the DOs made a big impact just by using their hands to treat people,” he notes.

Terresa and Cody hope to provide the same type of care through future medical mission work.

For now, the family spends whatever time they can together. Following in his mom’s footsteps has made for an easier journey, Cody notes.

“It’s definitely an advantage to see what awaits me in medical school and be able to talk to my mom about her experiences,” he says.