The Spark

Neurosurgeons spend their professional days in pursuit of the meaning of life - more specifically, how does one qualitatively and quantitatively define life? What is a life worth living? Does the presence of bodily pain, functional disability, or inability to communicate render such a life less meaningful? Neurosurgeons analyze the data and attempt to calculate the benefit of intervention and its effect on another's life.

My neurosurgical life has its genesis in middle school, when I realized that the nervous system allows for humanity and defines life. My dream of becoming a neurosurgeon remained dormant until I had the opportunity, as a first-year medical student, to meet a neurosurgeon and learn about her journey. Seeing this female surgeon's passion, tenacity and skill gave substance to my dream - seeing a woman succeed in the environment of academic medicine encouraged me to pursue my childhood dream.

Throughout my career, I have been a mentor and sponsor of students at all levels: high school, undergraduate, graduate, medical school, and fellowship. The results are personally rewarding; one hundred percent of my high school mentees have gone on to pursue a career in medicine. Of the medical students I have mentored, some have pursued careers in neurosurgery, while others simply explored their interest in the field, ultimately deciding that their passion lay elsewhere.

I have been elevated by those who came before me, and I expect that my students will go on to advance the field. As populations diversify, it is imperative that medical specialties concomitantly diversify to meet the needs and changing demographics of the world. Numerous studies have demonstrated superior patient outcomes when patients are treated by practitioners of a similar ethnicity. With incoming medical school classes comprised of at least 50% female students, it is critical that surgical subspecialties - historically male-dominated - educate and create a diverse workforce to meet the needs of the U.S. population.