Nancy learned about this news on Match Day, where medical students nationwide are ‘matched’ with postgraduate residency programs. Johns Hopkins is a highly selective program, only accepting 3–5 neurosurgery residents into their program each year. When she described her feelings to Teen Vogue, Nancy stated, “I could not believe that right there, in that moment, I was going to be given this incredible opportunity to remain at Johns Hopkins to begin my neurosurgical training.”
While Nancy is the first black female neurosurgery resident at Johns Hopkins, she’s also the first physician in her extended family. Nancy Abu-Bonsrah was born in Ghana and emigrated to the U.S. when she was fifteen. During college, she returned to Ghana for an internship at the Komfo Ayuke Teaching Hospital. While there, she spent a great deal of time in the neurosurgery wing. Seeing the overwhelmed doctors at the underserved hospitals in Ghana inspired her to pursue neurosurgery, and she hopes to return to Ghana one day to improve access to care in impoverished communities.
Nancy has put away her student lab notebook in favor of a crisp, white lab coat. She’s now looking to her future, as a doctor and a mentor. During an interview with Essence, she poignantly remarked, “I want to be remembered for serving my community, whether it is through providing quality surgical care or helping mentor the next generation of surgeons.”
