Scott Smith’s journey from Air Force mechanic to pathology resident

Growing up, Scott Smith, DO, never imagined himself in medicine.

“Funny enough, I was not that attracted to medicine at all”, Smith said. “I would often experience vagal responses around needles and blood, so I said okay I can’t do that as a profession.”

With two parents in the medical field, his father a doctor and his mother a nurse, one might assume the opposite—that medicine was the family profession. Perhaps it still is, but their son’s journey would land him in the Air Force first.

Before completing his medical degree at Rocky Vista University, Scott Smith, DO, now a second-year pathology resident at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville, charted a course far from the medical field as an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force.

“I went into the Air Force right out of high school,” Smith said. “I worked on F-16 Fighter Jets and was stationed in Arizona for three years, South Korea for one year, and finished my enlistment in South Carolina.”

He knew he wanted to make a career change and credits the military for giving him the confidence to get the job done no matter the task. A couple of medical mission trips with his parents to Kenya and Ecuador pointed him in the right direction. From the age of 15, he would often accompany his parents on trips like these while they provided aid in places like Guatemala, Kenya, and Brazil. However, this time would be different.

“Several medical students that would come on these trips inspired me to go back to school and become a physician,” Smith said.

So, he started the long journey to practice medicine later than most and determined pathology would be his specialty.

“While on clinical rotations in medical school, I took an interest in reading the pathology reports. I wanted to be able to provide the answers of a biopsy to help solve or treat a medical issue a patient may be having.”

Two years into residency, Smith admits the first year was a substantial learning curve but he never gave up.

“I came in knowing residency was going to be hard and it is difficult but now that I am in my second year I am well adapted to the rigor of the program and am enjoying my residency experience,” Smith said.

The Perfect Pick

Clinical rotations during medical school brought him to the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. Smith was on rotation for a month and felt this was his “dream choice” for residency, ranking it as his No.1 pick for residency.

“I found the faculty were all wonderful to work with daily,” Smith said. “The teaching style is inviting and I always feel comfortable asking questions. Another plus is the layout of the department of pathology facility – it’s the best I’ve seen.”

Smith, a husband and father of one with another child on the way, also enjoys Jacksonville's close proximity to his parents.

With two years of residency under his belt, Smith already has fellowships on his mind.

“I want to work in a community hospital practice in a smaller city as a general surgical pathologist. So now I’m leaning toward a cytopathology or gastrointestinal pathology fellowship.”

As he continues his training, his advice to incoming pathology residents is to see beyond the specimen on the slide.

“Although we don’t have much patient interaction in pathology, think of the patient behind the specimen you’re evaluating. Think of it as your patient, and you’re going to care for them throughout their treatment,” Smith said.