LSU Gave Him a Second Chance — and Now He’s Headed to Medical School
May 27, 2026
When Joshua Smith received his acceptance letter to LSU Health Shreveport, he was in awe. The recent LSU graduate now had a clear path to become the person he was meant to be. That wasn't always the case.
LSU graduate Joshua Smith and Melissa Thompson, director of the Rathbone Human Anatomy and Cadaver Lab, and associate professor of Professional Practice.
“I opened that letter, and the smile didn't leave my face for hours. It was the letter I had been working for so long and sacrificed so much to get, and it means the world to me. I can't wait to get started in Shreveport,” Smith said.
After graduating high school in 2014, Smith originally planned to attend another Louisiana university on a pre-med track, but things did not go as planned. The Moss Bluff, Louisiana, native said he felt disconnected from school and uninspired, and eventually decided to withdraw.
“I started working as a waiter at a local restaurant, and knew I could do more, but had no idea how I was going to elevate my life.”
Smith felt he needed a change that included leaving his hometown. He chose to join the Navy, a decision that quickly forced him to grow and adapt to his new environment.
As an aviation mechanic—specializing in maintaining ejection seats, canopy propulsion systems, and aviator breathing oxygen—he learned a lot about discipline, resilience, confidence, handling pressure, and facing adversity head-on.
“I learned early that I was living in a sink-or-swim environment. I told myself that no matter what gets thrown at me, I’ll never fold and always stand tall,” Smith said.
Smith was an aviation mechanic in the United States Navy before enrolling at LSU.
The mission was not over yet; he had finally found himself, but he still wasn’t sure of his purpose in life. He decided not to reenlist and to use his GI Bill to further his education. He said his decision to apply to LSU felt like an instinct, and getting accepted felt like a turning point.
“I got in and rushed to get everything together, and I am so glad that I did. It's safe to say that I was meant to be an LSU graduate.”
He returned to college this time older, confident, and more mature, but still unsure if he could really do it. He knew this opportunity was a second chance to prove he was capable. But he admits, adjusting back to a traditional classroom setting was a bit challenging.
“It took a lot of trial and error to figure out the perfect study methods for me, but eventually I was able to find the perfect system for me and saw a lot of success in the classroom,” Smith said.
Balancing pressure and expectations was not always easy, but as Smith found more success in the classroom, his confidence grew. His fascination with the human body led him to major in kinesiology.
“I've always loved all things about the human body and how it works,” Smith said.
He initially considered the pre-physician assistant track, but an anatomy lab changed everything for him.
“Once I sat through cadaver dissection in the Rathbone Human Anatomy and Cadaver Lab, and saw some physicians showing us their procedures, I was completely sold that being a doctor was for me,” Smith said.
After feeling out of place for years, he had finally found what he had been looking for. Smith spent years doubting himself, unsure of where life would lead him, but LSU gave him the opportunity to become the person he was always meant to be.
Smith poses with his mother after earning his LSU degree in May of 2026.
What he found at LSU was far more meaningful than just earning a college degree. Through supportive professors, friendships with classmates, and a community that believed in him, he realized LSU was exactly where he was supposed to call home.
“The relationships I’ve made here could not have been more perfect. Everything about the community at LSU has been an absolute blessing,” Smith said.
His acceptance to LSU Health Shreveport represents years of failing, learning, growth, and most of all, determination. Joshua is proof that setbacks do not equal failure, and validation comes from sacrificing and challenging yourself to do and be better. Second chances don’t come often, but when they do, they can be completely life-changing.
“It will never be too late to pursue your dreams. We get one shot to do all the things we want in this life, so you might as well go for it while you can,” Smith said.