Q: What motivated you to choose a career in orthopaedics?
A: Even though there wasn’t much representation of African Americans within orthopaedics – when I got to Duke, I was presented with the unique fortune of seeing many black men and women in the field. This inherently made me look more into the specialty to learn more for myself, and as I continued to gain exposure to orthopaedic surgery, my admiration and excitement to be able to alleviate pain, preserve and enhance mobility, and reconstruct essential body parts that will improve the everyday life for my patients and their communities, has only increased. The people, the teamwork culture, excellence, camaraderie, and the leadership and mentorship opportunities within the specialty, drive me to be a conduit of impact and change, which I strive to do each day on my journey.
Q: As we navigate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) - from your perspective, what would you want your orthopaedics colleagues to know?
A: I would want my colleagues to recognize the importance of DEI within orthopaedics genuinely. This includes being aware of and addressing the systemic barriers and biases that exist and valuing the diverse perspectives and experiences that everyone brings to the table. If this occurs, more unique views will contribute to a specialty that has established a great family culture. Including different perspectives will also make us better equipped to treat patients from all backgrounds. Also, I would encourage my colleagues to – “lift as you climb.”
Q: Are you involved in community or student programs, projects, or groups?
A: I am blessed to be involved with many diverse groups at Duke. I serve as the co-president and co-student director of Duke’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the Duke Pathway to Orthopaedic Mentorship Program (DPOM) programs. I am vice president of the Duke First-Generation Low-Income Med (FGLIMed) group. I also co-founded “The Cocoa Foundation” with my lifelong friends, where we try to help students from complex backgrounds through networking, mentorship, coaching, and scholarships.