People, Locations, Episodes

Alexa Canady, Neurosurgeon born

Alexa I. Canady

On this date in 1950, Alexa Canady was born. She is a Black Neurosurgeon.

From Lansing, Michigan, Alexa Irene Canady is the daughter of Elizabeth Hortense (Golden) and Clinton Canady Jr.  Her father graduated from the School of Dentistry of Meharry Medical College and practices in Lansing.  Her mother graduated from Fiasco University and was active for years in the civic affairs of Lansing. She also served as the national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Young Canady and her brother grew up outside Lansing and were the only black students.  Despite the obstacles, Canady was an exceptional student named National Achievement Scholar in 1967. She attended the University of Michigan, getting her BS degree in 1971. After this came the University of Michigan Medical School and her M.D. cum laude in 1975.

Canady Interned at Yale’s New Hane Hospital from 1975 to 1976; an example of her non-recognition due to being Black and a woman came on the first day of her residency at Yale-New Hane Hospital. She was appointed as the first female and Black to neurosurgery residency. As she began making her rounds, a hospital administrator called her "the new equal-opportunity package." Despite the remark, Dr. Canady viewed her accomplishment as a double achievement for herself, women, and blacks.

She went to the University of Minnesota in neurosurgery from 1976 to 1981. She also worked at the University of Pennsylvania Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Ped Neurosurg, from 1981-82.  Canady is the director of neurosurgery at Children's Hospital in Detroit and a clinical associate professor at Wayne State University. Her Areas of Expertise are Craniofacial Abnormalities, Epilepsy, Hydrocephalus, Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Tumors of the Spinal Cord and Brain.  She has also added to special research topics such as assisting in developing neuro endoscopic equipment, evaluating programmable pressure change valves in hydrocephalus, head injury, hydrocephalus and shunts, neuro endoscopy, and pregnancy complications of shunts.

Besides her position as the director of pediatric neurosurgery, Dr. Canady also works to change the perspective of how black patients and physicians are perceived. She claims the primary medical problem for Blacks stems from the scarcity of research targeting their specific health concerns and needs. Canady believes the issues will be better addressed now that medical schools are diversifying their student bodies and faculties.

In 1975, Canady was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society. In 1983, she was Teacher of the Year at Children’s Hospital of Michigan; in 1991, Dr. Canady was honored as an Alumni at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Canady holds two honorary degrees: a doctorate of humane letters from the University of Detroit-Mercy, awarded in 1997, and 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 and was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993, she received the American Medical Women’s Association President’s Award and, in 1994, the Distinguished Service Award from Wayne State University Medical School. In 2002, the Detroit News named her Michigan Person of the Year.

Dr. Canady is now retired and has more time to spend with her husband and on working to change the views and assumptions about Black patients and Black medical personnel. She claims the major medical problem for blacks stems from the scarcity of research targeting their specific health concerns and needs.

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