Smith, president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her medical degree from Yale Medical School. She is former director of medical education in obstetrics and gynecology at Chicago's Mount Sinai Hospital on that city's west side and is currently practicing at Lawndale Christian Medical Center. Abortion advocates want to mandate abortion training at medical schools at any cost, despite the objections of institutions that have a conscientious objection to abortion. Without accreditation medical schools would not be assured of receiving federal funding, and their ability to operate would be jeopardized. Although Smith does not support mandatory abortion training she believes that the subject of abortion should be covered in medical schools.
Abortion is something that one and a half million women electively participate in annually.
Smith explained that many women have problems during pregnancy that require doctors to use the same procedures that would be used in an abortion. Also, some illnesses require separating the mother from her child late in pregnancy by removing the baby from the womb. Abortion, however, is purely elective and requires dismemberment of the fetus, which may be technically difficult. Patients naturally assume that their abortion providers are trained ob-gyns or surgeons. However, Smith estimates that 90 percent of ob-gyns do not provide abortions as a routine part of their practice.