Roland T. Smoot

ROLAND THOMAS SMOOT, M.D., born February 12, 1927, was the only son of the late James and Beatrice Smoot. He was a native of Washington, DC and a product of the DC public school system. In June of 1944, Dr. Smoot began his pre-med studies at Howard University. He was drafted into the Army in September 1945, and was honorably discharged in December 1946. In January of 1947, he resumed his studies at Howard University and graduated in June 1948, cum laude, with a B.S. Degree and received his M.D. Degree from Howard University School of Medicine in June 1952. Dr. Smoot's training in internal medicine began at the K. B. Reynolds Memorial Hospital in Winston Salem, NC, and was completed at the V.A. Hospital in Tuskegee, AL. Following his residency, he became a member of the medical staff of the Tuskegee V.A. Hospital for the next four years.. He was married to Minnie Richardson on June 5, 1955, and from this union four sons were born. In July of 1960, Dr. Smoot and his family moved to Baltimore, MD where he became employed as a part time House Physician at Provident Hospital. In 1961, he began his private practice and worked as a part time staff member at the Loch Raven V.A. Hospital in Baltimore. In 1962, he became Chief of Medicine at Provident Hospital and remained in that office for ten years. In 1967, Dr. Smoot contributed to the establishment of an Alcoholic Detoxification Inpatient Unit at Provident Hospital. This unit was the first of its kind in any community hospital in the country. In the early part of 1963, Dr. Smoot became a member of The Johns Hopkins Hospital outpatient staff. In 1966, he became an Attending Staff Physician at The Johns Hopkins Hospital with inpatient privileges, and was, appointed as an instructor in the Department of Medicine. Significantly, Dr. Smoot was the first African American doctor to have inpatient privileges at Hopkins Hospital. He continued his affiliation with The Johns Hopkins Hospital, becoming an Assistant Professor in Medicine in 1974, a position he remained in until June 30, 2004. He served as Student Affairs Advisor in the Dean's Office of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine from 1973 to 1978 and as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs from 1978 until 2004. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine honored Dr. Smoot for his dedication to the institution by presenting him with an academic chair upon his retirement in June 2004. Realizing that the Black medical students both at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland medical schools felt isolated and needed support and encouragement from the community, in 1968, Dr. Smoot and his wife Minnie, formerly a registered nurse, began hosting an annual affair in their home for the Black medical students, house staff of the community hospitals, and the Tuskegee Institute Nursing Students who were on a one year affiliation at the Baltimore City Hospital. All of the practicing physicians of the area were invited to meet and greet the students and young physicians. This affair was so successful over the first three years, the Smoots were asked by the leadership of the Black Dental, Pharmacy, Medical Societies and the Chi Delta Mu Fraternity (Iota Chapter) to include the Black Dental and Pharmacy students from the University of Maryland and these organizations became financial sponsors of the affair. This affair was so successful that by 1995, as many as 800 invitations were distributed. In June of 1963, Dr. Smoot was certified as a specialist in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians and has served as President of Maryland Thoracic Society, Baltimore City Medical Society, Baltimore City Medical Foundation and the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland. He also served as a Delegate to the American Medical Association for eleven years, Member of Board of Directors of American Medical Political Action Committee and Chairman, Minority Affairs Section of the Thirteen Medical Schools Consortium. He served as a Commissioner, Health Service Cost Review Commission and a Member of the Board of Directors, Maryland Blue Shield, Inc. Dr. Smoot was also an active member of the following organizations: Board of Visitors of Bowie State College and Board of Directors, Health and Welfare Council of the State of Maryland, Lois Young Thomas Scholarship Guild for Minority Medical Students and the Advisory Committee on Achievement of African Americans in Medicine at the University of Maryland, and the Gamma Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Dr. Smoot has received many awards including, The Distinguished Internist of the Year Award by the Maryland Society of Internal Medicine in 1991 and The Distinguished Service Award from the Howard University Medical School Alumnae Association in 1998. After leaving his private practice in 1991, his primary interest and energies had been directed toward continuing his duties in the Dean's office, pursuing his interest in Cancer Research and spending quality time with his wife and family. Dr. Smoot is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Minnie Richardson Smoot; his four sons, Ronald Harvey Smoot, Dr. Duane Thomas Smoot, Gregory Walter Smoot, and James Henry Smoot; his daughters-in-law, Renee Perkins Smoot, J. Patricia Wilson Smoot, Esq., and Delzora Barnard Smoot; his five grandchildren, Jennifer, Lauren, Christopher, Nicole and Thomas Smoot; his two aunts, Annie L. Ross and Mary C. Wooden; his mother-in-law, Abbie J. McClain; as well as a host of other family and friends.

Tributes

Roland T. Smoot

February 12, 1927 - January 25, 2006