A Calling Rooted in Family and Community
Medicine has always been more than a career for Dr. Sidney Smith – it’s a passion and calling that began when he was a child and continues in his practice today. The gastroenterologist with Charleston GI grew up in the rural town of Turbeville in Clarendon County. His earliest impressions of health care weren’t shaped by modern hospitals or high-tech diagnostics but by the devoted career of his aunt.
“My aunt was a local family physician and made house calls and also saw patients at her house on nights and weekends. Watching her focus on the whole patient has affected my style of practicing medicine,” Dr. Smith recalled. Those early memories of tagging along on house calls – seeing firsthand the deep relationships his aunt built with patients – left an indelible mark on his understanding of what it means to truly care for others.
A Generational Legacy of Medicine
“Experiencing the relationships she built, her attentive care and the dedication she felt to her patients in our small town inspired me at an early age. It was a form of concierge medicine before that concept existed.”
That sense of purpose has grown from a family tradition of practicing medicine. Dr. Smith’s aunt followed in the footsteps of her father – his grandfather – who was also a physician in the same rural community. This lineage of medicine reflects not only professional commitment but also a deeply personal understanding of health care as a service to one’s neighbors.
Education and Return to South Carolina
Dr. Smith received his bachelor’s from the University of South Carolina and his MD from the Medical University of South Carolina. After completing his internship and residency at Wake Forest University, Dr. Smith returned to his home state but moved his roots to Charleston.
He has been practicing internal medicine and gastroenterology with Charleston GI for 18 years. While he acknowledges the many benefits technology has brought to modern gastroenterology – from advanced diagnostics to minimally invasive treatments – Dr. Smith balances innovation with personal care in his work. He values communication and empathy as much as technical skills in gastroenterology.
Technology Meets Compassionate Care
“In all aspects of medicine, but perhaps even more so in GI, understanding and relating to your patients is especially important,” he said. “Listening and trying to understand them is key – even in an era where technology has drastically altered medicine.”
“Technology has improved our diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities,” he said. “But going back to my experiences watching my aunt, technology cannot replace having an appreciation of and caring about the person you are taking care of.”
Carrying Forward a Rural Legacy in Charleston
Dr. Smith continues to embody that grassroots spirit of care and serves his patients with the same compassion and dedication he witnessed growing up. His journey from Turbeville’s small, rural town to Charleston GI is more than just a path to a medical career; it’s a personal mission to uphold the values that shaped him.
Through every patient interaction, Dr. Sidney Smith carries forward a legacy of service rooted in family, community and respect for the individual.
About Charleston GI
Charleston GI has four offices and three endoscopy centers in the Lowcountry. To learn more, visit charlestongi.com.
By Anne Toole
