Dr. Kerry-Ann Stewart Mitchell’s journey from waitress to neuroplastic surgeon is one of hard work, perseverance, and a brilliant mind. Born and raised in Jamaica, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was 17 to attend Benedict College in South Carolina.
“My last full-time job was a waitress at BiBiBips Bar and Grill in Ocho Rios, Jamaica,” wrote Mitchell on her Facebook page. “Every morning, I would wake up a 5 a.m., walk almost a mile to catch the bus from Gibraltar to Moneague, then another one to Ocho Rios, and an hour and a half later be at work by 7:30 a.m. I loved my job – my coworkers were the friendliest group of people you ever met, and we treated each other like family. We looked forward to cruise ship days when the restaurant would be packed with tourists and at the end of day you were just exhausted, but you had a good day. But it wasn’t my destiny; it was just a temporary stop on my way to becoming a doctor. It’s a long way from BiBiBips to Benedict College.”
Mitchell’s list of accomplishments is truly impressive. Over the course of 20 years, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Benedict College, her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine, and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Utah. She completed a Neuroplastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship program at John Hopkins University School of Medicine.
She’s a Post-Doctoral Fellow, a Neuroplastic Surgery Fellow, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, and completed a six-year residency. She’s been published in a number of professional journals for her work on epilepsy. She graduated Suma Cum Laude from Benedict College and is the recipient of several awards that includes the American Medical Association Outstanding Scholar Award and Benedict College Board of Trustees Award.
“Twenty years later, I’m finally done with training and am excited to start the job I was destined for: neuroplastic scientist at Ohio State University!” exclaimed Mitchell.
