In
his autobiography, Gifted Hands, Dr. Benjamin Carson tells us that his road
to success included obstacles and detours. His mother, Sonja Carson, teachers,
mentors and religious beliefs provided road maps, but being young and stubborn,
he did not always heed the signs. As a teenager, Carson developed bad habits
and a terrible temper that could have landed him in prison. After several close
calls, he was able to transform his anger into creative energy.
In 1968, after graduating
from his Detroit high school, he entered Yale University on an academic scholarship.
Four years later, he returned to Michigan and attended the University of Michigan's
Medical School. It was there that his God given skill of hand and eye coordination
led him to neurosurgery and the development of an innovative surgical technique.
When Carson graduated from
medical school, he secured a highly prized internship and residency in the neurosurgical
department at Johns-Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. In 1984, he was
appointed chief of pediatric neurosurgery.
Soon he became world famous
by performing brain surgery and saving the lives of children who had little
hope of survival. In 1987, Carson headed a surgical team of 10 professionals
who planned and successfully separated the Binder Siamese twins who had been
joined at the back of the head. This complex and delicate operation took 22
hours.
In addition to his skill
as a neurosurgeon, Carson is on outstanding motivational speaker. He and his
wife, Candy, have designed "Think Big, " a program that shows people of all
ages how to turn their dreams into reality.
