When Dr. Samantha Ahle, MD, MHS, talks about her work, one thing is immediately clear — caring for children is not just her profession, it’s her calling. As a pediatric surgeon at Brown Surgical Associates, Dr. Ahle combines science, compassion, and surgical expertise to provide life-changing care for young patients and their families across Rhode Island.
A Lifelong Passion for Helping Children
From a young age, Dr. Ahle was drawn to science and math — but it was her love for working with people that ultimately guided her to medicine. “I found that I was much more interested in taking care of people than studying things in the lab,” she recalls. Initially interested in psychology, she wanted to understand what makes people happy and healthy — a perspective that continues to shape her holistic approach to patient care today.
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Why Pediatric Surgery?
“I always knew I wanted to take care of kids,” says Dr. Ahle. “There’s something about helping people who still have so much ahead of them that’s really inspiring.” During medical school, she discovered the immediate and definitive impact of surgery. “There’s an immediacy to being able to help people through surgery that just isn’t the same in other specialties.”
Today, Dr. Ahle covers the full spectrum of pediatric surgical care, from emergency procedures to long-term management of congenital conditions.
Serving Rhode Island’s Children Through Brown Surgical Associates
Dr. Ahle chose Brown Surgical Associates for its uniquely close-knit, collaborative environment. “We’re the only group of pediatric surgeons that takes care of all the children in Rhode Island,” she explains. “It’s really special being part of a small state’s care network — we’re like a family.”
That family-like approach extends to the entire team, allowing for seamless collaboration and personalized care. “We’re able to maintain a close-knit practice that helps us provide the best possible outcomes for every child.”
Leading the Pediatric Bowel Management Program
In addition to her surgical practice, Dr. Ahle leads the Bowel Management Program at Brown Surgical Associates, helping children who experience chronic constipation or congenital colorectal conditions. “It often means that I help kids poop better,” she says with a laugh. “It’s remarkable how much quality of life improves when a child can stool normally — it makes the world go round!”
Through this program, she provides specialized care for children with unique anal-rectal anatomy or functional bowel challenges, giving families answers and hope.
Healing Families, Not Just Patients
One of Dr. Ahle’s favorite sayings from her professional society is that pediatric surgeons save lifetimes, not just lives — a philosophy that deeply resonates with her. “No one heals in isolation,” she explains. “When you heal a child, you help heal an entire family.”
As both a physician and a mother, Dr. Ahle brings empathy and understanding to every interaction. “Every patient I see, I see through the eyes of being a mom. When I take care of a child, I take care of them as if they’re my own.”
Dedication Beyond the Operating Room
Dr. Ahle’s work is guided by compassion, curiosity, and commitment — not only to her patients’ surgical outcomes but to their overall well-being. Her dedication helps ensure that Rhode Island’s children and families receive the highest quality of pediatric surgical care close to home.
