When Dr. Ron Miller began practicing

medicine he enjoyed the challenge of diagnosing his patients, but

as the years have passed he’s become more interested in getting to

know those patients personally.

“I’m going to miss my patients a lot,”

he said. Miller, a physician with Glacier Medical Associates, is

retiring after about 40 years practicing medicine.

“What I enjoy has evolved over time,”

he said. “At the beginning it was the challenge of the practice and

of the medicine. I still try to do a good job of diagnosis, but now

it’s about the relationships with patients more so than the

scientific aspect.”

Miller’s younger years and then his

later medical training would steer his path into medicine and being

a family physician. The discipline was just starting as he

graduated from medical school.

“I hadn’t decided when I started

college if I wanted to go into the ministry,” he said. “I enjoyed

chemistry and biology and I wanted to help people. That’s what

pushed me into medicine.”

Miller grew up in Tri-Cities, Wash.,

where he said there wasn’t a family physician. He did his training

in Omak, Wash., learning more about the impact the type of medicine

could have.

“It’s difficult because there’s a lot

of reading to keep up on,” he said. “It also has many rewards. You

follow patients and develop a lot closer relationships.”

Miller said family medicine gives

doctors a unique opportunity to treat patients for an extended

period of time.

“I’ve gotten to deliver babies and now

I’m delivering their babies,” he said. “Being a part of people’s

lives for the last 40 years, it’s been a privilege.”

During much of his career, Miller has

served as a professor instructing medical students for WWAMI, a

partnership between the University of Washington School of Medicine

and Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. As part of their training

University of Washington medical students spend time studying at

clinics.

Miller estimates that he, and the other

doctors at his clinic, has taught roughly 400 students. He

established the six-week clinic program here in 1975.

He said the program has been beneficial

to students even if their plans don’t include family medicine.

“It gives them an appreciation for what

a primary care physician does,” he said.

The program also benefits the doctors

involved.

“I makes you keep abreast of what’s

new,” he said. “(The students) ask ‘Why are you doing that’ and it

makes you think. It’s nice to serve as a role model.”

Miller has had many career highlights

during the years. He was named the Montana Family Physician of the

Year in 2008. He has served as chief of staff at North Valley

Hospital.

“That was humbling and an honor to be

recognized by my peers for patient care,” he said.

He has served on medical boards at the

state and national level including the American Board of Family

Practice, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Utah

Medical Insurance Association board; he is a professor with the

University of Washington School of Medicine and serves on the

American Academy of Family Physicians.

Miller’s oldest son, Jon, joined him at

the practice a few years ago.

“It’s been really a honor to work

shoulder to shoulder with him,” Miller said.

In addition to his practice and his

work on medical boards, Miller volunteers with the Shepherd’s Hand

Free Clinic. He praises the clinic for its work.

“It has filled a real niche for people

who fall between the cracks,” he said. “It’s been a real community

service.”

Miller retires from Glacier Medical

Associates July 1. He plans to spend time with his

grandchildren.

“I’m looking forward to spending more

time fishing, hunting and skiing,” he said. “Maybe I’ll do some

short-time mission work.”