Velma Scantlebury

Dr. Velma Scantlebury GCM also Velma Scantlebury-White (born 6 October 1955) is a Barbadian-born American transplant surgeon. She was the first Black woman transplant surgeon in the United States. She has received many honors in her career, having been named to both the "Best Doctors in America" and "Top Doctors in America" lists multiple times.

Scantlebury has been awarded the Woman of Spirit Award for inspiring others and the "Gift of Life Award" from the National Kidney Foundation. In addition to recognition by the Caribbean American Medical and Scientific Association, she received the Order of Barbados Gold Crown of Merit, for her efforts to educate minorities about organ transplant. She has performed over 2,000 transplants and published many peer-reviewed papers.

Early life and education Velma Patricia Scantlebury was born on 6 October 1955 in Goodland, St. Michael Parish, Barbados, to Kathleen (née Jordan) and Delacey Whitstanley Scantlebury.

Medical school and surgical residency Graduating in 1977 with her BS in biology, one of the pioneers in the use of medical stapling in the US, at the University of Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, she was convinced to study pediatric transplantation. In 1986, Scantlebury began her fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) School of Medicine, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Starzl and spent the next two years in clinical work. earning her Doctor of Surgery in 1989, as the first African-American woman transplant surgeon. That same year, she married Dr. Harvey White, and began teaching as an assistant professor at Pitt. Scantlebury worked her way up to associate professor by 2002 and was recruited by the University of South Alabama (USA) as a surgical professor and as director of the USA's Gulf Coast Regional Transplant Centre.

Physician honors and recognition In 2003, she was honored as one of the "Best Doctors in America" and inducted into the Achievers Hall of Fame of the United Negro College Fund. In 2004 and 2006, she was listed as one of the "Top Doctors in America", and received the Order of Barbados Gold Crown of Merit.

Kidney transplant program director Scantlebury accepted an offer from the Christiana Care Health System of Delaware in 2008 to serve as director of their kidney transplant program and the family relocated. In her career, Scantlebury estimates she has completed over 2,000 transplants, and has published more than 85 peer-reviewed research papers, as well as 10 monographs and several book chapters.