Room for Growth in Health Care

Raven Smith, PhD candidate in the UNC School of Nursing, was drawn to the medical field after witnessing her family members struggle to obtain the appropriate medical care they needed. 

“At an early age, I started to recognize the disparities in how certain demographics and different groups of people were diagnosed with illnesses,” Smith said. “Once I was more engaged in the field and learned more about it … my interest and love for nursing just grew.”

Smith received a bachelor’s degree in nursing and went on to spend three years working as an emergency room nurse at Duke Regional Hospital and UNC Hospitals. These experiences taught Smith that there is still substantial room for growth in health care. To aid in this growth, Smith is returning to the classroom as a Royster fellow to earn a doctoral degree from Carolina.

“Returning to school to obtain my PhD is a pivotal moment for my career because, through research, I have the chance to question, explore and investigate the world around me,” Smith said. “It is truly an honor to join the Tar Heel family,” Smith said. “I am excited and blessed to start this journey with Carolina.”

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