Dr. Gwendolyn Bryant-Smith says she enjoys reading mammograms.
"I like finding little, small breast cancers [when they are easy to cure] and feel like I’m making a difference," says the Little Rock native.
Bryant-Smith is the director of breast imaging in the department of radiology at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock.
Since she took the job in August 2008, the department has added some cutting-edge digital equipment — on Bryant-Smith's recommendations — so veterans don’t have to travel to other hospitals for tests.
"We have a one-stop breast center now," the radiologist says.
Her department treats about 2,000 patients annually, but she wants to have more. She says not all the veterans know about the department and her goal is to expand the program so more veterans can receive treatment.
In May, she was appointed to the Veterans Health Administration's Mammography Advisory Committee.
Away from the VA, Bryant-Smith is an assistant professor in the department of radiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
She says her motivation is to read each mammogram as if it were her mother's and focus on those who served in the military.
"I feel proud and privileged to serve the veterans," she says.
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