Clinicians Who Care

Patient-Centered CareThorough & InvestigativeListens & Believes PatientsLGBTQ+ FriendlyBlack ClinicianI’m a former college runner and my entire running career I have suffered from asthma and breathing issues. I was able to be successful but only when I could keep my breathing controlled. Towards the end of my career I was having a lot of issues with controlling my breathing and I happened to have an attack and Dr. Smith was working the race. I was seen by him and though he hadn’t seen me before he talked to my Mom to get a history and evaluated me. Rather than just dismissing my breathing attack as asthma like all the other doctors I had seen before, he suggested we looking into Vocal Cord Dysfunction. After getting seen for that, I was found to have VCD and asthma and have been able to manage both more including being able to run with more confidence. I also was able to become a professional singing coach and use that to help myself and other because he pointed me in the right direction. I continue to see Dr. Smith today as my primary and greatly trust him and know I will be heard whenever I have something to see him for, which has ranged from minor concerns and injuries, to larger talks about my future health.