A cross-country runner from Columbus who recently graduated from medical school has spent time studying his profession while gaining valuable medical experience from around the world.
Brandon Smith, a 2006 graduate of Columbus North High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Worcester State University in 2011 and graduated in June from University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Smith recently started a five-year residency program at Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is in the program’s general surgery training program.
His Columbus pediatrician, Bruce Davison, along with Smith’s own love of biology and chemistry, led him to pursue a career in medicine, he said.
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When he was younger, Smith went to Davison to deal with chronic middle-ear infections and several sets of myringotomy tubes. He described Davison as an individual who was always kind and compassionate, but noted that what probably stood out was his understanding of his mother’s situation as a single mother with three children.
“He’s a well-respected physician in the community and if you’ve had the opportunity to be his patient, it’s pretty obvious why,” Smith said. “I admired all of the attributes he personally exemplified growing up and found that my love of science would allow me to pay forward all of the good he did for my family.”
Smith said he had not intended to go into surgery, but was fascinated by the operating room after shadowing doctors.
Hands-on experience
Smith gained work experience at UMass Memorial Health Care, where he processed and sterilized medical instrument equipment while attending school full-time as an undergraduate student.
The position allowed him to supplement his undergraduate expenses, reducing the amount of student debt he would otherwise have to take on, especially during the summer months that aren’t covered by loans, he said.
“My job was crucial to not only my financial viability, but also in continued development of a strong foundation of work ethic, ability to multi-task responsibilities and managing work-life balance,” Smith said.
Working in a hospital and understanding the workflow in a medical setting were important experiences, he said.
Smith also gained valuable experience in a leadership role as he transitioned to a supervisor position at the hospital, where he worked a 2:30 p.m. to midnight shift.
“Nothing really prepares you for the front lines of trauma like that position did for me,” Smith said. “I wanted to work in a hospital to make sure medicine was everything I hoped it would be.”
Smith, 30, also took part in a pair of medical mission trips during his time in medical school.
The first, a week-long trip in 2014, brought him to the Dominican Republic, where he and other medical students worked with individuals needing medical care and directed them to resources.
He was also part of a group of students who traveled to Port-au-Prince in Haiti in March. That trip was a partnership with Team Broken Earth, a Canadian nonprofit organization of healthcare professionals.
General surgical care was provided to residents, along with trauma and emergency care, Smith said.
Medical students assisted the attending surgeon and performed parts of the operation under direction supervision up to the level of difficulty appropriate for their skill level, Smith said.
He helped out primarily with hernia repairs and everything from dissection of the tissues, isolation and ligation of the hernia sac, to closure of the skin, Smith said.
Smith described the visit to Port-au-Prince as a humbling one since many residents of Haiti are still working to recover from natural disasters that have struck the country.
“It makes you feel like it was the right decision,” Smith said of going into medicine.
Involvement
Despite the rigorous schedule in medical school, Smith found time to give back in other ways. He helped tutor high school students who had failed statewide standardized exams in math and science during his first two years of medical school.
“Community involvement, to me, is very important and I think that’s a shared sentiment for people who go to medical school,” he said.
Smith said he had a lot of support from individuals around him during his time in Columbus, including Rick Weinheimer, who retired last year as North cross country coach.
Smith, who participated in cross country all four years at North, said Weinheimer taught students how to improve their work ethic.
One quote by Weinheimer continues to stay with Smith: “Hard work, given time, speaks talent.”
The former coach described Smith as an individual who always worked hard.
“He has a great chance to make a positive difference in people’s lives,” Weinheimer said.
As Smith continues his career in medicine, he hopes to get involved in teaching at some point to help the next generation of doctors.
Smith added that he considers it a privilege to help others while in the medical profession.
“You’re able to touch so many people’s lives in a way you can’t imagine,” Smith said. “There’s nothing more satisfying than discharging a patient from the hospital.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Brandon Smith” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Age: 30
Education: 2006 graduate of Columbus North High School; bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Worcester State University in 2011; graduated from University of Massachusetts Medical School in June
Experience: Worked at UMass Memorial Health Care processing and sterilizing medical equipment as an undergraduate and was eventually promoted to a supervisor. He also served in the Dominican Republic during a medical mission trip coordinated by the Office of Global Health at UMass.
Smith also traveled to Port-au-Prince in Haiti this spring with a group of medical students providing general surgical care to local residents. He recently started a five-year residency program at Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Family: Son of Ron and Katrina Amburgey, who live in Columbus
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"There’s nothing more satisfying than discharging a patient from the hospital."
— Brandon Smith, formerly of Columbus, on being in the medical field
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"He has a great chance to make a positive difference in people’s lives."
— Rick Weinheimer, former cross-country coach of Brandon Smith
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