About the speaker

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Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., is Professor Emeritus of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to his retirement in June 2013, after more than 40 years of medical endeavors, he served as a full professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center for over a quarter of a century. In May, 2008 he became the inaugural recipient of a professorship dedicated in his name - the Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N. Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

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Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Carson was the first surgeon to successfully perform separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head in 1987. He was also the first to complete a successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins in 1997 in South Africa, and he performed the first successful placement of an intrauterine shunt for a hydrocephalic twin.

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Dr. Carson holds more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Institute of Medicine the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans and many other prestigious organizations. In June, 2008 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush, which is the highest civilian honor in the land. He has literally received hundreds of other awards during his distinguished career.

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He is president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund, which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments, and the author of six books.

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