Legislator Leslie Kennedy and other County Legislators recognized Women’s Veterans Appreciation Day on June 11th, 2021. Legislator Leslie Kennedy recognized Major Sarah Smilow for her dedicated service to the Country by serving in the United States Army. Major Smilow is a highly decorated Army Officer and Physician. During her service thus far, Major Smilow received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Joint Service Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.
Major Sarah Smilow, daughter of George and Maureen Smilow, was raised in Smithtown and graduated from Smithtown High School. Major Smilow attended Johns Hopkins University where she continued her studies in biology, chemistry and psychology, graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Biology. After graduation, Major Smilow worked as a psychology therapy aid for the Veterans Administration where she learned of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the military medical school. She was accepted and received a medical degree and an officer’s commission in the United States Army. She completed her residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington and then returned to Walter Reed Medical Center where she completed post-graduate fellow-ship training in rheumatology. Major Smilow went on to score in the top ten percent of all rheumatology fellows at her level of training on annual Adult Rheumatology In-Training Examination.
Near the end of Major Smilow’s fellowship, in the beginning stages of the COVID pandemic, Major Smilow volunteered to work sixteen hours per week in addition to her fellowship responsibilities, at the Walter Reed Medical Center screening tent as she triaged and screening sick patients for COVID-19. Upon completion of her fellowship studies she returned to Madigan Army Medical Center where she works as a rheumatologist treating active and retired military personnel and oversees residents and fellows. From January to May of 2021, Major Smilow volunteered to serve as Medical Office in Palau, where as part of the Civic Action Team, she brought medical care and wellness education to the people of this small island nation in the Pacific.
