Every day, Dr. Havalee Henry enters the operating room with one goal: to restore movement, relieve pain and help her patients reclaim their quality of life. The Jamaican-born orthopaedic surgeon has built an exceptional career that has taken her from the classrooms of Wolmer’s Girls’ School to becoming Chief of Surgery at AdventHealth Sebring in Florida. An award-winning researcher and fellowship-trained shoulder, elbow and trauma specialist, Henry’s journey reflects decades of hard work, academic excellence and an unwavering commitment to serving others.
In this episode of Jamaican Trailblazers to the World, Xavier Murphy sits down with Dr. Henry to discuss her remarkable journey from Jamaica to one of the top leadership positions in her hospital. She reflects on the pivotal moment that led her from scientific research to medicine, the years of sacrifice required to become a surgeon, balancing motherhood with a demanding career, and why giving back to Jamaica remains one of her greatest ambitions.
A Proud Wolmerian with a Passion for Science
Born at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Mount Salem, St. James, and raised in St. Andrew, Henry proudly describes herself as “a Wolmerian through and through.” She attended Wolmer’s Preparatory School, Wolmer’s Girls’ School and Wolmer’s Sixth Form, where she served as a senior prefect.
Science was part of everyday life. Her mother, Hazel Henry, taught biology at Manning’s School before joining the staff at Wolmer’s, while her father, an NCB branch manager, moved the family around Jamaica during his career. Those early experiences nurtured the curiosity that would eventually shape Henry’s future.
Although she excelled in science, becoming a doctor was never part of the plan.
The Research That Changed Everything
After leaving Jamaica, Henry earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Connecticut, followed by a Master of Science in Muscle Physiology at Northeastern University in Boston. During her graduate research, she studied biomechanics using guinea fowl, training the birds to run on treadmills and jump while measuring muscle power output and the storage of elastic energy. The work required performing animal surgeries, giving her a first-hand appreciation of the musculoskeletal system.
The research fascinated her, but it also sparked an important realisation.
“I enjoyed what I was doing with research, but I knew it was a niche area with little general applicability. Whereas medicine and doing surgery, I could see a way to help people and almost see immediate results of my work,” she recalled.
That “a-ha” moment inspired her to pursue medicine. Along the way, she established herself as an accomplished researcher, authoring numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and earning several prestigious honours, including the Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize, the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society Resident Research Award, and a DePuy Synthes Research Grant for her contributions to orthopaedic research.
A World-Class Medical Education
Henry would go on to earn her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry before completing a five-year orthopaedic surgery residency at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut. She then pursued advanced fellowship training in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at Brown University, followed by a six-month trauma fellowship at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, England.
Alongside her clinical training, Henry established herself as an accomplished researcher. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and received several prestigious honours for her work, including the Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize, the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society Resident Research Award, and a DePuy Synthes Research Grant.
Today, she is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder, elbow and trauma care, combining cutting-edge surgical techniques with a passion for helping patients regain mobility and quality of life.
Leading in the Operating Room
After joining AdventHealth Sebring four years ago, Henry quickly earned the confidence of colleagues and patients alike. In January 2025, she was appointed Chief of Surgery—taking on the leadership role while seven months pregnant.
Her vision extends beyond performing successful surgeries. She wants to build a department recognised for clinical excellence, operational reliability and a culture where surgeons feel supported, accountable and empowered to deliver consistently outstanding patient care.
The work is demanding. Clinic days see her treating up to 35 patients, while surgery days often begin before sunrise and can stretch until late at night when emergency trauma cases arise. Despite the long hours, Henry says orthopaedics remains deeply rewarding because patients often experience immediate improvements in function and quality of life.
Mentorship, Leadership and Giving Back
Henry is quick to point out that her success did not happen in isolation.
She credits her mother as her biggest cheerleader but says mentors have been the single greatest influence throughout her career.
“That saying about standing on the shoulders of giants is very true,” she said. “My mentors have been the keys to my success.”
Today, she is paying that mentorship forward.
Henry serves on the American Shoulder and Elbow Society’s Impact and Opportunity Committee, where she leads the organisation’s Scholars Program. The initiative recruits and mentors medical students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in orthopaedic surgery—a specialty where women account for fewer than six percent of surgeons and Black orthopaedic surgeons fewer than 1.5 percent in the United States.
She also enjoys mentoring medical students directly, helping aspiring surgeons navigate one of medicine’s most competitive specialties.
Balancing Surgery and Family
Away from the hospital, Henry is a wife and mother to two young sons, Kayode and Zidane. Like many working parents, she admits balancing family life with a demanding surgical career is an ongoing challenge.
Recent changes—including using artificial intelligence to complete clinical notes before leaving work and dedicating an administrative day each week—have helped her become more present at home. She has also become more intentional about declining additional committees and speaking engagements, recognising that every “yes” at work often means less time with family.
Despite the demands of surgery, she hopes to continue expanding access to advanced orthopaedic care while encouraging excellence within her hospital and profession. Looking further ahead, she also hopes to participate in more medical mission trips to Jamaica and the Caribbean, using her expertise to give back to the country she still proudly calls home.
From the classrooms of Wolmer’s to the operating theatres of Florida, Dr. Havalee Henry’s journey is a testament to the power of hard work, mentorship and purpose. Her advice to young people considering medicine is simple: know yourself, seek out mentors, be willing to sacrifice and never lose sight of why you chose the profession in the first place.
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