Samantha Bindner, MD

Samantha is from Pawleys Island, SC. She completed her undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, where she majored in neuroscience and philosophy, before earning her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine. Prior to medical school, she spent two years teaching mathematics at an underserved high school in Jacksonville, FL, through Teach for America, developing a deep appreciation for working with diverse communities. She conducted research at MUSC’s Centerspace Clinic on factors influencing response to ketamine in patients with major depressive disorder. A certified yoga teacher, Samantha has led sessions at nursing homes and inclusive arts communities and hopes to incorporate mindfulness into her future psychiatric practice. At MUSC, she served as president of the medical ethics interest group, vice president of the Medical Genetics Interest Group, peer mentor and lead ambassador. She also volunteers with the HEART Inclusive Arts Community, working with adults with intellectual disabilities and fostering an interest in atypical neurodevelopment. 

• Hometown: Pawley's Island, SC
• Professional Interests: Psychedelic-assisted therapy, integrative psychiatry, medical ethics, neurodevelopmental
• Future Plans: Undecided, but would love to operate a joint practice with a variety of in-house therapists: psychotherapists, music therapists, art therapists, etc.
• Memberships: American Psychiatric Association, MENSA
• Awards/Grants: MUSC Department of Psychiatry Award, James B. Edwards Scholarship
• Hobbies: Music festivals/concerts, yoga, board games, philosophical fiction

• MD, Medical University of South Carolina, 2026
• BS, Vanderbilt University, 2020

• Bauerle L, Wessell JE, Bindner S, Saway BF, Wolgamott L, Kalhorn SP. Use of Subfascial Passive Bile Bag Drainage for the Management of Durotomies in Spine Surgery. Cureus. 2024 Sep 1;16(9):e68397. doi: 10.7759/cureus.68397. PMID: 39224492; PMCID: PMC11366417. Pub Status: Published.
• Berger, Larry, et al. Up Your Score: SAT, 2018-2019 Edition. Edited by Samantha Bindner, Workman Publishing Company, 2017.
• Bindner S, Jones J. “Investigating the Psychoactive Effects of Intramuscular Ketamine as a Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder”. Poster presented at: MUSC Flex Fair; April 12, 2024; Charleston, SC.