The DNA of a Doctor: How Upbringing, Culture, and Unbridled Ambition Curates Achievement

The DNA of a Doctor will inspire other women to reach for their best selves and live their best possible lives—even if it goes against the grain.

Academics and success were always the pinnacle of Smita Ramanadham’s vision board. The daughter of two highly educated professionals, as a first-generation Indian-American, her family’s mission was to excel, get into the best schools, and live out the American Dream. These goals came with a caveat—to pick a profession that allowed for growing a family and afforded her regular nine-to-five hours. However, Dr. Smita had other plans.

Blessed with “good hands,” Dr. Smita dreamed of being a surgeon and saving lives. During her rigorous training, she fell in love with plastic surgery, making it through one of the toughest residencies in the country. And to her family’s initial dismay, she had spent her most fertile years—well into her thirties—concentrating on her career and shying away from marrying and starting a family. Maybe female surgeons can’t have it all? But Dr. Smita was determined to try!

In an inspiring story of seeking fulfillment when everyone seems to be saying “No,” Dr. Smita followed her heart, listened to her inner voice, and took a risk, embarking on a path of medicine and miracles. Along the way, she gained a surgical expertise that would empower women and men beyond her wildest dreams. As one of the rare Indian female plastic surgeons in America, she serves as an inspiration to all young women who have done all the right things yet still felt dissatisfied with the trajectory of their life. As a plastic surgeon, Dr. Smita is helping thousands look their best so they can feel and perform their best—at work, at home, and in life. She empowers them with one of the most important intangibles there is: confidence.

Dr. Smita’s story is an inspiration to all women seeking to find fulfillment and a path that is entirely their own.