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Reaching for the Stars: Her-stories in Pathology - Dr. Lauren Smith

By Lynn McCain | March 29 2021

The Department of Pathology is home to a number of strong women who are leaders in clinical care, education and research.  We interviewed several of these women to learn their stories.  This is Dr. Lauren Smith's story.

 

“I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My father was a professor in the art school at the University of Michigan and my mother stayed home until I was in college, when she became a development officer in the Department of Otolaryngology. I was taught from an early age that women could do anything in terms of a career.” Both of Smith’s parents were educated, with her mom holding a Bachelor’s degree and her father a Master’s degree. “But I was the first in my family to go to medical school,” stated Smith.

Smith didn’t start college with the idea of going to medical school. She was an art history and psychology major. After graduation, she took a research position in a genetics laboratory at UCSF. “I decided that I would rather go to medical school than psychology graduate school. I also had close friends who were in medical school who were in a post-baccalaureate program. I decided to take premed classes while I was still working, since I needed all of the science prerequisites to apply. I was 6 years out of college when I started medical school. That time before medical school was very formative. I worked for a psychiatrist studying the genetics of bipolar disorder, a psychologist working on abortion research, and a psychiatrist who is famous for his work on panic disorder. I also volunteered at Planned Parenthood during this time.”

Smith was a good student during her undergrad years and her research experience and publications made her very competitive for medical school. She was accepted at Johns Hopkins and UCSF, but opted to return to Michigan for medical school on a partial scholarship. She stayed at Michigan for her residency and fellowship training, then joined the faculty in pathology as a hematopathologist and bioethicist.

At Michigan, Smith found strong role models in Dr. Kathleen Cho, who was interim chair of pathology while Smith was a junior faculty member, Dr. Bertram Schnitzer in hematopathology, and Dr. Andrew Barnosky in bioethics. “Bert was always very supportive of women, as is Andy.”

“I really enjoy my job now, which includes a leadership position in hematopathology where I have been able to recruit great faculty members who are exceptional colleagues. I enjoy working closely with the fellows and I’ve kept in touch with many of them. I also love my ethics job which includes teaching and clinical ethics work. I want to continue to teach nationally/internationally on topics in pathology and ethics.”

“There were only two or three women in the residency program when I started my training. I’ve noticed a lot more women residents in pathology. I’ve also noticed a lot more junior faculty who are women now,” stated Smith. This past year, the pandemic has created obstacles for working families, and particularly women. “I have tried to promote a work environment that allows flexibility and understanding so that we don’t see women or other parents leaving the workforce. I have also had the opportunity to mentor women residents, fellows, and faculty members, and they have mentored me. This includes collaboration on papers, talks, or even just advice over the years.” To strengthen the support network and encourage peer mentoring, Smith took the initiative and “I organized a book club and networking event for women with the help of Kathy Cho, when she was Chair.” This has been a successful endeavor and has enabled support for one another through challenging times.

Thank you, Dr. Lauren Smith, for sharing your story!  If you want to read other “her-stories”, click on the "here" links below. Clicking on their names brings you to their faculty profiles.

  • Carol Farver, MD, Professor, Thoracic Pathology, Godfrey D. Stobbe Professor of Pathology Education and Director, Division of Education Programs.  Click here for Dr. Farver's her-story.
  • Laura Lamps, MD, Godfrey Dorr Stobbe Professor of Gastrointestinal Pathology, and Director, Gastrointestinal Pathology. Click here for Dr. Lamps' her-story.
  • Lakshmi Priya Kunju, MD, Professor, Genitourinary Pathology, Director, Surgical Pathology; Director, Genitourinary Pathology; and Director, Histology Laboratory. Click here for Dr. Kunju's her-story.
  • Anuska Andjelkovic-Zochowski, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology. Click here for Dr. Andjelkovic-Zochowski's her-story.
  • Maria Westerhoff, MD, Associate Professor, Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pathology. Click here for Dr. Westerhoff's her-story.
 
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