HBCU Grad Makes History As Vanderbilt’s First Black Neurosurgery Resident

Florida AM University former student Tamia Potter is now the first black woman to become resident neurosurgeon at Vanderbilt University – and Twitter users can’t hold back their excitement for the story’s pioneer.

The FAMU graduate shared the monumental news Friday on Twitter.

“My first job was as a certified practical nurse at age 17 in 2014. Today, March 17, 2023, I was fortunate to be selected as the first African American neurosurgical resident to train at (Vanderbilt University Medical Center for neurosurgery),” she wrote.

In a shared clip by Potter, the medical student is seen getting visibly emotional during a phone call, which confirmed that she is the first black woman to train at Vanderbilt’s neurosurgery department.

The groundbreaking news fell on “National Match Day,” the third Thursday in March, when medical students across the United States are matched with a specialty and residency for training.

Twitter users quickly chimed in to congratulate Potter, gushing over his pioneering achievement.

“Congratulations Dr Tamia Potter,” wrote one user, noting how important her win is because there’s only 33 black female neurosurgeons in the USA.

Potter, who completed his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at FAMU in 2018, was also a member of the Beta Alpha chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, according to the University’s blog, Nation Rattler.