Despite growing up in a medical family affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Hugh M. Smith, MD, PhD, never set out to be a physician. He completed an undergraduate degree in Economics, a master's degree in philosophy and a PhD in medical history, all before attending medical school.
“Initially, I began tracking into surgery, but after rotating in anesthesiology, I was hooked by the fascinating interplay of physiology, pharmacology, and procedural opportunities,” he said.
Dr. Smith was matched with the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Mayo Clinic, completing his residency training and a fellowship in Regional Anesthesia. Dr. Smith's fellowship coincided with the advent of ultrasound technology, and he was deeply involved with research, clinical application, and education of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Over the past several years, however, Dr. Smith became more engaged in perioperative practice management and the evolving role of anesthesiologists in practice optimization....