Episode #2 - Dr. Christopher Smith

Podcast Episode Summary Dr. Christopher Smith shares his deeply personal journey into nursing, reflecting on a challenging upbringing, early academic struggles, and the moments that ultimately led him to discover a passion for science and patient care. Drawing from a wide range of clinical experiences—including acute care, private practice, and perioperative nursing—Dr. Smith highlights how scholarship became central to his professional identity. He discusses overcoming self-doubt, reframing scholarship as a mindset of curiosity and resilience, and offers practical advice for nurses to start small, integrate scholarship into everyday practice, and use their lived experiences to create meaningful change for patients and communities. Podcast Bio Christopher (Chris) M. Smith, PhD, MSN, RN, GCQM, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He earned his PhD in Nursing Science and a post‑master’s certificate in Quantitative Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences from East Carolina University, developing expertise in psychometrics and latent variable modeling. Dr. Smith’s research focuses on cardiometabolic health in rural populations, with particular attention to metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms influencing cardiovascular and blood pressure outcomes. He was recognized with the 2024 Emerging Leader in Science award from Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.