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Ben Carson

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description Ben Carson Overview

Ben Carson is an American retired pediatric neurosurgeon and politician. During his tenure at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he directed the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery and gained international recognition for leading the surgical team that successfully separated occipital craniopagus twins in 1987. Following his medical career, he transitioned to politics and served as the 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021.

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What surgery was Ben Carson famous for in 1987?

In 1987, Ben Carson led a 70-member surgical team at Johns Hopkins Hospital that successfully separated seven-month-old occipital craniopagus twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who were joined at the back of the head. It was the first time such a procedure resulted in both twins surviving, a landmark in neurosurgery.

What political office did Ben Carson hold?

Ben Carson served as the 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021. Before his cabinet appointment, he ran for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination before suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump.

Where did Ben Carson complete his medical training?

Carson earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed his neurosurgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins at age 33, among the youngest ever appointed to that position in the United States.

What books did Ben Carson write?

Carson's best-known book is the memoir Gifted Hands, published in 1990, which was adapted into a 2009 TNT television film starring Cuba Gooding Jr. He also authored the motivational books Think Big and The Big Picture, which expanded on his personal philosophy of perseverance and faith.