Dr. Smallwood was born and raised in Berea, Kentucky. Driven into medicine by a desire to care for the vulnerable Appalachian population in the state, she completed her undergraduate degree and medical school at the University of Kentucky. She participated in the Rural Physician Leadership Program, focusing her education on rural health systems and primary care. After completion of medical school she completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at UK. In 2018 she joined the Department of Ob/Gyn at UK as faculty, becoming a true UK "lifer." As the clerkship director for the third-year medical school course in Ob/Gyn she hopes to instill in students the same passion for patient care that inspired her to pursue the specialty when she was a medical student.