Dr. Smitha: An International Road to Medicine

Today we had Dr. Smitha on the show, and she was absolutely incredible. She’s a family practice physician with experience across pediatrics, geriatrics, and sports medicine, and she took us through her entire journey—from start to finish.

Dr. Smitha shared her international journey, beginning with her roots in India and moving to Connecticut at a young age. She spoke powerfully about her parents’ work ethic and how watching them work tirelessly inspired her and her siblings to pursue excellence themselves.

That drive led her to University of Connecticut, where she studied biology, and from there she explored a wide range of academic paths before deciding to pursue medicine. She applied to medical schools across the world and ultimately attended medical school in the Caribbean, an experience that became a defining part of her story.

From there, Dr. Smitha’s career took her across multiple cities and systems—training and working in Miami, New York, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, including time at Drexel University. Each stop added another layer to her growth as both a physician and a person.

It was an incredibly powerful conversation, and hearing her resilience, adaptability, and commitment to medicine made for a truly inspiring episode.