Black Youth Invents Surgical Technique - at 14

[AirMax95]

Black Youth Invents Surgical Technique - at 14
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 2:26 pm
By: Jackie Jones


Tony Hansberry II isn’t waiting to finish medical school to contribute to improved medical care. He has already developed a stitching technique that can be used to reduce surgical complications, as well as the chance of error among less experienced surgeons.

"I've always had a passion for medicine," he said in a recent interview. "The project I did was, basically, the comparison of novel laparoscopic instruments in doing a hysterectomy repair.”

By the way, Hansberry is a 14-year-old high school freshman.

In April, the brilliant teen presented his findings at a medical conference at the University of Florida before an audience of doctors and board-certified surgeons.

Hansberry attends Darnell-Cookman, a special medical magnet school that allows him to take advanced classes in medicine. Students at the school master suturing in eighth grade.

"I just want to help people and be respected, knowing that I can save lives," said Hansberry, the son of a registered nurse and an African Methodist Episcopal church pastor. His goal is to become a neurosurgeon.

The idea for his procedure developed last summer during an internship at the University of Florida's Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville.

Hansberry responded to a challenge to improve a procedure called the endo stitch, used in hysterectomies that could not be clamped down properly to close the tube where the patient’s uterus had been. The teen devised a vertical way to apply the endo stitch and, using a medical dummy, completed the stitching in a third of the time of traditional surgery.

“It took me a day or two to come up with the concept,” Hansberry said.

He was supervised by Dr. Brent Siebel, a urogynecologist, and Bruce Nappi, administrative director of the Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research. Hansberry’s discovery won second place in its regional science fair in February 2009 in the medical category.

Education experts say youngsters as young as 10 can experience great achievement at an early age if their thirst for knowledge is encouraged and they are given opportunities to shadow professionals and get internships. Also, a rigorous study schedule that also builds in some recreation is key.

High school internships and other programs are being used by educators to boost the number of young people interested in medicine in the face of projections that there will be a doctor deficit of as many as 200,000 physicians by 2020.

"It's not hard if you have a passion for it," Hansberry said.

Angela TenBroeck, the medical lead teacher, said in many ways, Hansberry is a typical student, but, she told the Florida Times Union that he is way ahead of his classmates when it comes to surgical skills.

"I would put him up against a first-year med student," she said. "He's an outstanding young man. And I'm proud to have him representing us."

[ironchef]

Good for him, though I'm not clear as to why it had to be titled "Black Youth". What does it matter what color he is?

[bigdare23]

Good for him, though I'm not clear as to why it had to be titled "Black Youth". What does it matter what color he is?

Because the media associates the "Black Youth" with crime and drugs. You rarely see them represented in a positive imagine. So you gotta let the "black youth" shine whenever they get a chance to.

[AirMax95]

Good for him, though I'm not clear as to why it had to be titled "Black Youth". What does it matter what color he is?

As much as I really don't care about his color either, like BigDare said, you have to let the positive shine through. Rarely do the postives of black youth come to light; its just reality.

This country sees race like I see big butts at the strip club; full view

[ironchef]

I understand what you're saying. But, at the same time isn't this further propagating the problem?

[AirMax95]

I understand what you're saying. But, at the same time isn't this further propagating the problem?

Honestly, I say no, but it could. I was taught not to view the world that way, and I am pretty sure this kid (and others like him) were not either.

It's positive, no bashing, no hate, no racial overtone. Positve displays kill the hype of race, IMO. It has always been "black" this/that. Even before "we" had a say so.

Look at it this way also, if that kid were to get arrested, he would a black male youth.

I feel like I bounced around, but its a hard position to articulate.

[bigdare23]

I understand what you're saying. But, at the same time isn't this further propagating the problem?

I don't really view it like that. I actually think it's contributing to the solution.


Look at it like this. Take away any reference about the kids race. After reading the article most people would have assumed the kid was either White (or maybe Asian) if you were racist or not. That's why you must acknowledge minorities success. Racism was created on the basis of inequality, so I feel that once you can prove that everyone can contribute on the same level racism will die.


But that's just my opinion.

[BobbyFresco]

Good for him, though I'm not clear as to why it had to be titled "Black Youth". What does it matter what color he is?

Because....ppl and the media in particular, spare no efforts in highlighting stories full of negativity, in regards to young Black men...

[Cool Cat Racing]

I'm happy for his success but I too think referring to him as black is perpetuating the problem. Racism won't stop when people can contribute at the same level, that's already here. Any race CAN contribute at the same level but they don't. By constantly referring to people by race you are perpetuating the distinction. Its no different than having hate crimes, its just continuing the thought process that there is some intrinsic difference between us. When people stop referring to each other differently we will all stop seeing each other differently.

[SKUNK2GUY]

1234

[BobbyFresco]

it forgot to mention in the article that while everyone was watching him at the medical conference his cousin and friends went to the doctors hotel rooms and stole their wallets and valuables. Had to keep his street cred!

Error 404: Wit not found.

This isn't that kind of thread.
Take your idiocy elsewhere, genius.

[AnTi-PooN]

Because the media associates the "Black Youth" with crime and drugs. You rarely see them represented in a positive imagine. So you gotta let the "black youth" shine whenever they get a chance to.

[Tracy]

I think the fact that he is 14 by far outshines his race.

Do you really want people to be discussing his race by making the headline "black youth" (not you as in YOU, but as in whoever wrote the story)? OR wold you rather them focus on his deed to society at such a young age? When you make it part of the headline, it's the focus. That is the whole point of the headline, to highlight the focus.

To me if you add the black part in it, you are just kind of "reiterating" what a lot of people might already think (according to some in this thread, not my views). Black people rarely do anything good, so when they do, we must focus on his race to make sure they do know black people are capable of good stuff sometimes.

That's my take. Point proved by much of the discussion in this thread talking more about his race than his feat.

[Revmaynard]

Yea, I think his age is far more amazing than his race. But w/e.