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Biography

Asia Smith is a biology major with a chemistry minor from Belleville, Michigan. Smith will pursue an MD-Ph.D with the objective of becoming an anesthesiologist with a speciality in obstetrics, along with clinical research in pharmacology and pain management. Her interest in these areas arose when she learned about the various ways Black women's pain has been neglected within the United States healthcare system, especially concerning the high mortality rate during childbirth. In the future, she plans to work in underserved communities with significant health disparities in order to promote a better quality of life and to provide more than adequate medical expertise. Additionally, Smith plans to become a medical professor in her area of specialty and broaden her scope in the treatment of chronic pain management into other medical conditions where severe pain is prevalent, like sickle cell disease. She chose to attend Howard University because of the academic opportunities that it has to offer STEM students coupled with the tightknit community and dedication to diversifying higher education.