How many Black female neurosurgeons do you know by name? But we all have a keen knowledge of Dr. Ben Carson's story of rags to riches from his memoir "Gifted Hands". This book was the first book my father ever bought me. As a child, my dreams were only vivid imaginations of the curious mind of a little Black girl whose dreams were encouraged and validated though the reality remained bleak. In my pursuit of women who came before me, I learned of Dr. Alexa Canady, the first Black female neurosurgeon in the US, specializing in pediatric neurosurgery. She soon became the Chief of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Michigan where she worked to provide care to the children of Detroit. I am moved by the kind of resilience Dr. Canady exuded in being adamant in her career path and working tirelessly towards a goal that provided specialized medicine in underserved communities. I want to pursue a career that, like Dr. Canady, bridges the gap for many who live oppressed by the global disparity gap. I want to learn and grow as a neurosurgeon who can support the learning of others in developing nations. As the world changes, it is imperative to bing along the countries that colonization has stripped of resources with us by bridging the knowledge gap. I intend to provide the same inspiration to the little girls who come after me that Dr. Canady has been to me. Both Dr. Carson and Dr. Canady have shaped my view of the power of believing in yourself and finding support through mentorship and scholarship.

How many Black female neurosurgeons do you know by name? But we all have a keen knowledge of Dr. Ben Carson's story of rags to riches from his memoir "Gifted Hands". This book was the first book my father ever bought me. As a child, my dreams were only vivid imaginations of the curious mind of a little Black girl whose dreams were encouraged and validated though the reality remained bleak. In my pursuit of women who came before me, I learned of Dr. Alexa Canady, the first Black female neurosurgeon in the US, specializing in pediatric neurosurgery. She soon became the Chief of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Michigan where she worked to provide care to the children of Detroit. I am moved by the kind of resilience Dr. Canady exuded in being adamant in her career path, and working tirelessly towards a goal that provided specialized medicine in underserved communities. As a first-year medical student, I have offered my story and experience to help towards donations to both the Washington State Medical Association and the King County Medical Association. I am passionate about advocacy and further providing students from low-income households the opportunity to live without the financial constraints higher education tends to provide. Therefore, I have made short presentations to medical providers and other leaders in the community to donate part of their income to make it possible for students to receive funding for their educational and extracurricular needs. I currently lead an outreach program in Spokane for the unhoused that works with community partners to provide food and clothing. My mission through my medical training is to learn how to be most effective in providing care to my patients. With the understanding that medical care is not confined to what happens within the walls of the hospital, I want to gain confidence in providing care to people wherever they are, and what they define care as. The work we do as students is to provide a listening ear for the needs of the community and relay those concerns to community organizations that work in the community to alleviate those concerns. I would like to continue similar outreach programs in my medical career. I want to pursue a career that, like Dr. Canady, bridges the gap for many who live oppressed by the global disparity gap. I want to learn and grow as a neurosurgeon who can support the learning of others in developing nations. I intend to provide the same inspiration to the little girls who come after me that Dr. Canady has been to me. Both Dr. Carson and Dr. Canady have shaped my view of the power of believing in yourself and finding support through mentorship and scholarship.