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Historic Achievement
Photo: Daniel MilnerTamia Potter was thrilled when she learned she would join the neurosurgery residency program at Vanderbilt University.星空传媒 medical student Tamia Potter has made history.
After graduating in May, she鈥檒l become a neurosurgery resident at Vanderbilt University鈥攖he first Black woman accepted to the program in the school鈥檚 history.
Initially, she was gratified, thrilled and relieved to land at a school she loved at the end of an incredibly competitive process.
The significance of her accomplishment hit later.
鈥淵ou read about how people make history,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 going to be you.鈥� Potter鈥檚 achievement generated national news stories; within days, her Twitter announcement had more than 480,000 views.
Potter had been intrigued by the brain and nervous system since childhood. But she never saw a Black woman neurosurgeon until coming to Cleveland, where she met University Hospitals鈥� Tiffany Hodges, MD, who became one of several mentors. 鈥淭his is possible,鈥� she thought when they met.
Only about 5.7% of physicians in the United States identify as Black or African American, according to recent data from the Association of American Colleges. And an earlier association report showed just 33 Black women neurosurgeons in the country in 2018.
Potter is also committed to mentoring other students. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get here by myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hoever comes behind me, I want to make sure they have help, too.鈥�