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Alexa Canady
Becoming the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the United States and specialising in children’s care.
Neurosurgical qualification · Board certification
- Born
- 7 November 1950
- Birthplace
- Lansing, United States
More people
Alexa Canady
Alexa Canady is an American neurosurgeon. She led paediatric neurosurgery in Michigan and helped train doctors while treating children with brain and spinal conditions.
Early life
Lansing childhood
Grew up in Michigan with parents who emphasised education and perseverance.
Medical education
Studied zoology and then medicine at the University of Michigan, graduating as a physician in 1975.
Career
- 1975–1981
Surgical training
Completed an internship at Yale and a neurosurgical residency at Minnesota.
- 1987–2001
Department leadership
Served as chief of neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
- 2000s–2012
Florida practice
Returned to clinical work after moving to Florida, then retired fully in 2012.
Selected work
Neurosurgical qualification
Became the first African-American woman to qualify as a neurosurgeon in the United States.
Board certification
Became board-certified in neurosurgery.
Children’s neurosurgery
Led a service treating complex paediatric brain and spinal conditions.
Beyond work
Medical teaching
Taught at Wayne State University and mentored younger surgeons.
Patient-centred care
Emphasised listening to children and their families as part of treatment.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Further biography and career ↗Photo: National Institute of Standards and Technology. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
