Mount Grad Nancy Abu-Bonsrah Becomes First African-American Female Accepted into Neurosurgery Program at Johns Hopkins
Emmitsburg, MD (03/22/2017) — Nancy Abu-Bonsrah has become the first African-American female to be accepted into the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine department of neurosurgery. Abu-Bonsrah graduated from Mount St. Mary's University, class of 2012, with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, and will graduate from Johns Hopkins Medical School in May.
"The Mount definitely played a huge role in how far I have come," says Abu-Bonsrah. "It is a true privilege and honor to join the department [at Johns Hopkins] and to be trained by such excellent surgeons."
"It was my great pleasure to work with Nancy while she was a student at the Mount and to see her mature into the accomplished woman she has become," said Christine McCauslin, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the science department. "Nancy is an inspiring young woman not only for her intellectual gifts, but also for her integrity and humility. She was outstanding during her time as an undergraduate at the Mount and has worked diligently to earn this great success. I am excited to see what the future holds for her as she moves into the next phase of her professional training."
Abu-Bonsrah learned that she secured a fellowship for a seven-year residency during "Match Day," an event when fourth-year medical students across the nation find out what institution they will be attending for the next step in their medical careers.
According to 2016 data from the National Resident Matching Program there were only .6 positions available per applicant in neurological surgery, making it one of the most competitive specialties in the match process. Additionally, Doximity, an online network for U.S. healthcare professionals, ranks Johns Hopkins third in the country in reputation for its neurological surgery program, making Abu-Bonsrah's accomplishment even more remarkable.
Current residents in the Johns Hopkins neurosurgery program are from such undergraduate institutions as Harvard, Yale, NYU, Columbia and Stanford, however the institution has never had an African-American female trained in neurosurgery in 124 years.
Originally from Ghana, Abu-Bonsrah is on track to become the first physician in her family, including extended family.
About Mount St. Mary's University
Mount St. Mary's University a private, liberal arts, Catholic university in the Catoctin Mountains near historic Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick, Maryland's second largest city. The university offers more than 40 majors, minors, concentrations and special programs for traditional undergraduate students, and 17 adult undergraduate and graduate level program.
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