Alexa Irene Canady
First female African American neurosurgeon in the United States
1950
Lansing, Michigan, United States
African American
1971-
Graduated from the University of Michigan
1976-
Enrolled in neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota
1981-
Completed residency in 1981
Canady was born in Michigan to a dentist father and a mother who worked in the field of education. Canady attended a summer programmed for minority students at the University of Michigan after her junior year and was inspired to work hard to go to this university
In 1986 she became the Chief of Neurosurgery at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan where she cared for patients facing life threatening illnesses. She became known as a successful neurosurgeon, and continues to be an advocate for encouraging young women to pursue careers in medicine. She remained as Chief of Neurosurgery until her retirement in 2001.
A Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Detroit-Mercy, awarded in 1997
A Doctor of Science degree from the University of Southern Connecticut, awarded in 1999
She received the Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Teacher of the Year award in 1984
She was inducted into the Michigan Woman’s Hall of Fame in 1989.
In 1993, she received the American Medical Women’s Association President’s Award
In 1994 the Distinguished Service Award from Wayne State University Medical School
In 2002, the Detroit News named Dr Canady Michiganer of the Year
She’s married to George Davids.
https://medicine.iu.edu/blogs/women-in-medicine/black-history-month-honors-alexa-canady-md-first-african-american-woman-neurosurgeon https://www.biography.com/scientist/alexa-canady https://www.imperialcollegeunion.org/blogs/imperial-college-union/black-history-month-figures-stem-dr-alexa-canady
