[5] After he earned his Medical Degree, Samter started working as an intern doing research at Charite Hospital in Berlin.
[2][3] After his six years as a research assistant, he opened up a private practice in New Jersey to obtain the resources to move his parents to the United States.
[2] He stated of his time as a military governor, “I don't think that any country has been governed, by an amateur, as effectively as mine.”[3] After the war, he was again limited to a research role due to both his lack of experience speaking English and damage to his hearing obtained during his service that stopped him from communicating with patients well.
[2] Samter was offered a biochemist fellowship at the University of Illinois in Chicago and became full Professor at the College of Medicine in 1961.
[3] He served as Chief of Staff and, in 1975, was appointed Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs of the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine.
[2] Samter became interested in allergies during his time at the University of Illinois and noted a connection between asthma, sinusitis with nasal polyps, and aspirin sensitivity.
[2] Samter noticed that those with asthma and sinusitis are more likely to develop an allergy to non-steroidal painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
[9] While the first publication discussing the link between asthma, nasal polyps and aspirin sensitivity was made by Georges-Fernand Widal in 1922,[10] it was Samter who fully characterized the condition and brought widespread study and acknowledgement.
[12] As evidenced by its wide range of symptoms and status as a chronic disease, Samter's Syndrome impacts quality of life, and can be life-threatening.