Raphael F. Smith Biographical File

Smith received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt, and, after serving in the U.S. Navy, where he rose to the rank of chief of the Medical Sciences Division at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, he joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 1969. His initial responsibilities included directing Vanderbilt’s Coronary Care Unit and Heart Station. In 1975, he was named chief of the cardiology section at the Nashville Veterans Medical Center, a post he held for 23 years.

During his career at Vanderbilt, Smith led an investigative team that performed the first quantitative electrocardiography during extended space flight of the SKYLAB missions. He collaborated on multiple studies designed to define the safety and efficacy of anti-arrhythmic agents in humans. More recently, he has focused his attention on the prevention of congestive heart failure and has led a very active clinical research group at the VA Hospital, which has been pivotal in the completion of important multi-center trials, including the V-Heft studies. A recipient of the American Medical Association’s Physician’s Recognition Award and American Heart Association’s Helen Farris Award for Distinguished Service, Smith has influenced a generation of trainees in cardiovascular medicine.

Source: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2004/05/10/vanderbilt-university-bestows-12-emeritus-titles-59662/