There are an estimated 166,000 patients with spina bifida in the US and over 50 percent of them are becoming adults. Spina bifida occurs among 1 in every 2,875 births in the US each year, according to the CDC. There are only 25 clinics in the nation solely dedicated to the care of adult patients with spina bifida.

The Credo Award winner became a certified surgical technologist after receiving life-changing advice from her mother.

What began as small, informal get-togethers between female surgeons has turned into an opportunity for colleagues across the institution to build relationships and discuss their shared experiences.

The NIH is the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research. VUSM, which received $586 million in direct and indirect NIH grant support in FY24, has been among the top 10 recipients of NIH funding among U.S. medical schools for nine of the past 15 years.

The results are important because it could enable at-home testing and increased access to testing for patients undergoing telehealth care.

Smith will receive the career achievement recognition awarded annually to an individual who is deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the art and science of urology.

The AECM was formed in 2021 to “honor exemplary clinicians who combine humanism, professionalism and a passion for patient care with a scholarly approach to improving patient health and establish a community of leaders to promote clinical excellence.”