Dr. Candace Smith-King | Woman of Achievement & Courage Honoree
- Year: 2025
- Location: WomanUp and Celebrate West Michigan
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Designated Institutional Official at Corewell Health
Woman of Achievement & Courage Honoree
Dr. Smith-King is the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Designated Institutional Official (DIO) at Corewell Health in West Michigan, where she oversees the accreditation and educational environment for 37 fellowship and residency programs. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Clinically, Dr. Smith-King supervises residents at the Academic General Pediatric Clinic and provides clinical care at the Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic. In addition to her roles in the pediatric and educational realm, Dr. Smith-King is a member of the Corewell Health System Equity Council and established the Minority Visiting Scholars Program that provides mentoring and networking for medical students underrepresented in medicine, as well as the Health Equity and Leadership (HEAL) Scholars’ resident track, a partnership between Corewell Health in West Michigan and the Kent County Health Department that encourages diversity in the physician workforce in Grand Rapids.
Candace Smith-King, M.D., FAAP, is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and completed her middle and high school years in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. Dr. Smith-King went on to receive a medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. After medical school, she completed the Pediatric Residency program at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital/Michigan State University. She practiced in the Grand Rapids community as a general pediatrician before returning to academia. In 2009, she joined the Academic General Pediatrics practice at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, which gave her the opportunity to teach medical students and residents while serving the community.
Dr. Smith-King is the recipient of many awards, most recently the 2024 Crain’s Grand Rapids Business’ Notable Black Leaders award, and the 2022 Community Service Health Equity Award by the NAACP of Greater Grand Rapids. Helping to inspire and empower our youth, Dr. SmithKing serves on several committees in the community and is also on the Board of Directors of the Van Andel Institute Graduate School and the Corewell Health – MSU Alliance Corporation.
