For Michelle Flechas, MD, and her daughter, Meaghan Smith, MD, medicine is more than a profession – it’s a family tradition.
Practicing medicine together at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Pediatrics at Perkins, this mother-daughter duo is building relationships that span generations. Dr. Smith joined the practice in September 2024, and she is taking over patients from her childhood pediatrician, Charles Daniel, MD.
Dr. Flechas’ and Dr. Smith’s story is one of family ties, shared experiences and a shared love for pediatric care.
Following in Her Mother’s Footsteps — and Her Pediatrician’s
For Dr. Smith, choosing a career in medicine was influenced by two pivotal figures: her mom and her own pediatrician, Dr. Daniel.
“I’ve been following my mom around since I was able to walk, and I learned from being at her office and following Dr. Daniel,” Dr. Smith says. When her sister got sick in high school, the field of medicine became even more personal.
“It opened me to the other side of medicine, which combines my love for science and helping people, and it all fell into place,” Dr. Smith says. “It wouldn’t have happened without my mom.”
In addition to being inspired by her mom, Dr. Smith was encouraged and supported by Dr. Daniel.
“I did a career day in high school and followed him around,” Dr. Smith says. “Everyone I’ve trained with think it’s so cool I’m taking over my pediatrician’s practice.”
Dr. Daniel has had an incredible impact on children’s health in Baton Rouge.
“He’s molded so many people, including how I practice medicine,” Dr. Flechas says. “He has touched the lives of so many people in our community.”
Choosing Pediatrics: A Perfect Match
During medical school Dr. Smith briefly considered orthopedic surgery or obstetrics and gynecology, but during her pediatric rotation she fell in love with the specialty.
“I would call my mom every day on my way home from residency to talk about the day,” Dr. Smith says. “I always came back to pediatrics, my love for kids and seeing what her life looked like.”
Dr. Flechas provided care for many of her daughter’s friends growing up, and those memories were an important part of Dr. Smith’s decision to specialize in general pediatrics.
“She reminded me of the relationships you build with patients every day being a primary care doctor,” Dr. Smith says.
Generations of Care
“I’ve got a third-generation family that I take care of here in the practice,” Dr. Flechas says. “The grandma was my patient. The mama was my patient. And now the kids are my patients.”
Dr. Flechas’ patients often tell her how they feel she’s a part of their family.
“I love coming to work every day. I love my families I take care of,” Dr. Flechas says. It’s rare for her to be in public without running into a patient or former patient.
“You’re always on stage,” Dr. Flechas says. “Even if I don’t recognize my patient, they recognize me. When the kids were little, we would even see patients on vacation. I’ve seen patients at Orange Beach, Disney, even in New York City or on the ski slopes.”
A Legacy of Medicine: All in the Family
“It’s exciting and thrilling for Meaghan to follow in my footsteps,” Dr. Flechas says. Healthcare is part of a bigger family tradition, with Dr. Smith’s dad working as a psychiatrist.
“Growing up, she saw medicine from multiple angles,” Dr. Flechas says. “My husband’s father was a general surgeon, and now she’s a third-generation Flechas who is a doctor.”
Now that they’re practicing side by side, their relationship continues to grow professionally. Dr. Smith is able to share the latest practices with her mom, while Dr. Flechas teaches her things they don’t cover in residency.
Returning to the Red Stick
Both mother and daughter had similar educational beginnings, elementary at St. Aloysious and high school at St. Joseph’s Academy.
Dr. Flechas attended LSU, but Dr. Smith moved to Mississippi to attend Ole Miss.
“I started taking my own path in college, and I ended up back in the same space, although with no pressure from my parents at all,” Dr. Smith says.
The opportunity to work for Our Lady of the Lake led Dr. Smith to return to Baton Rouge about 12 years after she went away to college. She returned with her husband, Maxwell, a physical therapist who works at Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic.
A Shared Calling to the ‘Best Job in the World’
“We have the best jobs in the world. I’ve been with the Lake for 27 years,” Dr. Flechas says. “I’m very lucky and very blessed, with my office and group of people I work with.”
That ringing endorsement helped make Dr. Smith’s decision about where to practice simple.
“It was very easy for me,” she says. “Obviously they’ve got something good going on here.”
As they continue to work side by side, Dr. Flechas and Dr. Smith are excited for what the future holds — not just for their practice but also for the community they love.
