Ben Carson
[[File:|frameless|alt=|]] | |
Name | Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. |
Birth name | |
Birth date | Birth date -1st March 1966 |
Birth place | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Death date | |
Death place | |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | Neurosurgeon, politician |
Years active | |
Organization | |
Known for | 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 2016 Republican presidential candidate |
Notable works | |
Spouse(s) | |
Website |
Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is a retired American neurosurgeon and politician who served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2017 to 2021. Carson gained national recognition in the 2016 Republican primaries as a candidate for President of the United States. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of neurosurgery.
Early career and medical achievements[edit | edit source]
In 1984, at the age of 33, Carson became the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States when he was appointed as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. He also held professorships in neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine until his retirement from medicine in 2013.
Carson's groundbreaking accomplishments include:
- Participating in the first reported separation of conjoined twins joined at the back of the head, which, despite being a surgical success, resulted in the twins suffering ongoing neurological complications.
- Performing the first successful neurosurgical procedure on a fetus inside the womb.
- Developing innovative methods to treat brain-stem tumors.
- Revitalizing hemispherectomy techniques for controlling seizures.
- Carson has written over 100 neurosurgical publications throughout his career.
Political career[edit | edit source]
Carson rose to national prominence among political conservatives following his 2013 National Prayer Breakfast speech, which was widely perceived as critical of President Barack Obama's policies. In May 2015, Carson officially announced his campaign for the 2016 Republican nomination for President. Despite a strong performance in early polls and being considered a frontrunner during the fall of 2015, Carson's support dwindled following scrutiny of his foreign policy credentials in the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks.
Carson withdrew from the race after a series of disappointing Super Tuesday primary results and subsequently endorsed Donald Trump. Following Trump's election, Carson was nominated as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and confirmed by the United States Senate in a 58–41 vote on March 2, 2017.
As one of the most prominent black conservatives in America, Carson has received numerous honors for his work in neurosurgery, including over 60 honorary doctorate degrees and many national merit citations. In 2001, CNN and Time magazine named him one of the nation's 20 foremost physicians and scientists, and the Library of Congress selected him as one of 89 "Living Legends" on its 200th anniversary. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, in 2008, and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2010.
Carson's life and achievements were the subject of the 2009 TV film Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, in which he was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.
Carson is also an accomplished author, having written or co-written six bestselling books, including:
- Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (1990) - An autobiography detailing Carson's journey from a struggling student to a renowned neurosurgeon.
- Think Big: Unleashing Your Potential for Excellence (1992) - A motivational book that emphasizes the importance of education, hard work, and positive thinking.
- The Big Picture: Getting Perspective on What's Really Important in Life (2000) - A book that encourages readers to examine their priorities and values in order to live a more fulfilling life.
- Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk (2008) - A guide to making wise decisions and taking calculated risks in both personal and professional situations.
- America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great (2013) - A reflection on American history, values, and principles, as well as Carson's vision for the country's future.
- One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future (2014) - A call for unity and constructive dialogue in order to address the challenges facing the United States.
Carson has remained active in public life since retiring from medicine and politics. He is a sought-after speaker and commentator, sharing his insights on healthcare, education, and social issues. Additionally, Carson is involved in various philanthropic endeavors, such as the Carson Scholars Fund, a non-profit organization he co-founded with his wife, Candy Carson, in 1994. The fund provides scholarships to academically gifted students and promotes a culture of academic achievement in schools across the United States.
Throughout his career, Benjamin Carson has been an influential figure in both the medical and political spheres. His groundbreaking achievements in neurosurgery and his contributions to public life have left a lasting impact on the fields of medicine, politics, and education.
Ben Carson Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
- 1951 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century Protestants
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century Protestants
- African-American Christians
- African-American members of the Cabinet of the United States
- African-American physicians
- African-American government officials
- African-American candidates for President of the United States
- African-American writers
- American Christian creationists
- American neurosurgeons
- American Seventh-day Adventists
- Black conservatism in the United States
- Candidates in the 2016 United States presidential election
- Christian vegetarianism
- Critics of Black Lives Matter
- Discrimination against LGBT people in the United States
- Florida Republicans
- Johns Hopkins Hospital physicians
- Kellogg's people
- Maryland Republicans
- Michigan Republicans
- Members of the National Academy of Medicine
- Physicians from Detroit
- People from Dorchester, Massachusetts
- People from Roxbury, Boston
- People from Vienna, Virginia
- People from West Friendship, Maryland
- People from West Palm Beach, Florida
- Physicians from Michigan
- Politicians from Detroit
- Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
- Protestant writers
- Seventh-day Adventists from Michigan
- Seventh-day Adventists in health science
- Southwestern High School (Michigan) alumni
- Spingarn Medal winners
- Tea Party movement activists
- Trump administration cabinet members
- United States Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development
- University of Michigan Medical School alumni
- The Washington Times people
- Yale University alumni
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD