All you Need to know about Nancy Abu-Bonsrah: First black female neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital

Ghanaian Nancy Abu-Bonsrah becomes the first black female Neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Abu-Bonsrah left Ghana at the age of 15, and has been in the U.S for nearly 11 years. The first physician in her family, including the extended family, Abu-Bonsrah was matched with Johns Hopkins Hospital to specialize in Neurological Surgery. A hearty congratulations on the remarkable achievement.

Abu-Bonsrah, according the John Hopkins medical news release spent the first 15 years of her life in Ghana and came to Maryland 11 years ago. She attended Hammond High School in Columbia, Maryland and went to college at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, after which, right after her undergrad, she went to Johns Hopkins .

Abu-Bonsrah further stated in the news release that she is very much interested in providing medical care in undeserved settings, specifically surgical care. The Ghanaian hopes to return to her country over the course of her career to help in building sustainable surgical infrastructure

medical rite in the U.S. known as Match Day, where graduating fourth year medical students are given envelopes and find out where they have been matched to continue their medical training in a three to seven year residency program, Ghanaian Nancy Abu-Bonsrah was matched with Johns Hopkins Hospital to specialize in neurological surgery.

The match made her the first black female neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Abu-Bonsrah will spend seven more years at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she would get hands-on experience in her field.

According to the Johns Hopkins news release, prior to Match Day, students complete lengthy paperwork, and on-site interviews with hospitals, then provide a ranked list of their top choices. Hospitals submit a similar list, indicating openings, preferred students, and specialty or generalist preferences. Each applicant is matched via computer algorithm to the hospital residency program that is highest on the applicant’s list, and has offered the applicant a position. Johns Hopkins students are often matched with their first- or second-choice sites.