Share with us your list of "25 Random Things" about YOU.

1. I share my last name “Smith” with a comic book and video game franchise called Smith ABC. This coincidence has followed me all my life. At the start of a new internship, I was even the brunt of an office prank in which a Smith ABC background was set as the desktop wallpaper. I now fully embrace my shared name and have collected over 100 Smith ABC comic books.

2.I used to volunteer in my mom’s hospital and tagged along with my dad to his pharmacy. I got to meet patients and see firsthand the difficulties they experienced through our system. I also saw how roadblocks impacted not only the patient, but also created stress for the family members.

3.I experienced this stress myself over the mismanagement surrounding my grandmother’s recent hospitalization. Since the hospital was unwilling to call in an expert to install a special IV, my grandmother caught an infection. Luckily she’s a tough cookie.

4.When I was a child, my mother always used to tell me that it didn’t matter what occupation I had. As long as I was the best at what I did, I would be successful and make her proud. These words have always stuck with me and are the foundation of my work ethic.

5.In my spare time I love to go hiking. As a kid it was just for fun, but as an adult it’s an activity that helps me relax and reduce stress. Two years at Duke will give me great access to the Smokey Mountains so I can introduce my classmates to the outdoors and the sport of hiking.

6.Until I was 18, I was the pickiest eater. Then one day I asked myself, if everyone eats hamburgers with lettuce and tomato, there must be a reason. So I started trying my burgers that way and really enjoyed it. Now I am willing to try anything, including foie gras and bone marrow, on the basis that if someone likes it, maybe I will too.

7.I enjoy performance art and have been an avid fan of Broadway musicals since I was a child. I have collected over 35 Playbills, including classics such as Rent, Phantom of the Opera, and Showboat.

8.For the six months prior to my recent trip to China I did research about the culture and history, but also the development of the pharmaceutical market. It was intriguing - from a consulting perspective - to learn about barriers which Big Pharma has faced as it has tried to enter China. Consumer price sensitivity has driven the market to low-cost generics and over-the-counter medications. It was even interesting to see how pharmacies were setup differently in China as compared to the US.

9.I love reading short stories and took a writing seminar in college to further develop an appreciation for this genre. Kurt Vonnegut’s “Welcome to the Monkey House” is my favorite anthology because through interesting sci-fi and fantasy stories, it made me think about the world in new ways.

10.My go to karaoke song is “Jessie’s Girl,” by Rick Springfield.

11.As a pharmacist, my father has had to communicate with a diverse group of customers. From this, he shared an important life lesson with me. You need to be able to communicate with everyone from a local gas station attendant all the way to the CEO of ExxonMobil. To this end, he showed me what it means to be respectful and polite. But also, you must be knowledgeable and confident to carry on a conversation with anyone. This has allowed me to excel in a job where I was responsible for recruiting new hires, coordinating with research vendors, and forming relationships with executives.

12.I do 10-min daily "brain training" on Lumosity because I am fascinated by how technology is shaping how we learn. In general, I am always looking for new ways to challenge my mind through jigsaw puzzles, Ken Ken, board games, etc.

13.I’ll never forget my first cup of coffee, it was while I was studying for a Microeconomics midterm my freshman year at college. I was so surprised by how much I actually enjoyed the taste. By the next semester I had a bean grinder and coffee pot in my dorm room.

14.Before I turn 30, my goal is to ride a century (100 miles on a bike in a single day).

15.Since I was thirteen years old, every trip - from day trip to two week vacation - I have taken with family or friends was planned by me. I take great pleasure in making sure others have a good time.

16.I got my first SLR when I was 10. Once you know how the aperture of a lens and the shutter speed effect exposure when taking a photograph, it’s hard to be satisfied with a camera phone.

17.When I was a kid the first piece of advice I ever got about stock-picking was that I should choose a company whose product I really liked. Shortly thereafter I became a part owner of McDonalds. Thankfully my investment approach has become a bit more sophisticated since that first purchase.

18.In high school I visited elementary schools and taught kids to say no to drugs. Post college, I joined a nonprofit and mentored a ten year old every other Saturday for nearly two years. Since I grew up with a strong support system, I pursue activities like these so I can act as a positive role model for youths in need.

19.At summer camp, I was chosen to lead 500 campers and counselors in a two-week athletic competition. This experience taught me the importance of being an enthusiastic, spirited leader.

20.I am a Ted Med enthusiast. This online video library allows me to learn about cutting edge advancements in medicine from thought leaders who I would not normally have access too.

21.When I sit down at a poker table the game becomes a complex probability question. But in cards, as in business, you need to read the people as much as the odds. This was one of the most important lessons that my grandmother ever taught me (along with how to actually play poker).

22.I am what you might describe as an “amateur golfer.” I’m the guy at the range who swings big and misses the ball. But as with any other activity, if I put my heart into something I do not give up until I succeed. I’m looking forward to using golf as a way to make close friends at Duke.

23.I have a really bad sweet tooth; I’ve never been to a movie without a bag of Raisinets.

24.I enjoy becoming an “expert” on any subject. I spend ALL of my free time reading, listening, viewing, and discussing one particular subject. My most recent immersion topic: the MBA application process.

25.I prefer Star Wars to Star Trek, Android to iPhone, and stick shift to automatic.