![]() He also cites many instances in which his ability to think differently allowed him to see a way to improve a surgical procedure or complete procedures others claimed were impossible. He claims that his divine gift of eye and hand coordination made him an outstanding surgeon thus the name of the book, Gifted Hands. While Ben is careful to acknowledge others who have helped him in his career, it is also clear that he sees his career at God’s fate and himself as an extraordinarily gifted individual. The man recovered and had it not been for Ben’s quick action, he would have likely died.Īfter all of his schooling was complete, Ben decided he wanted to remain at John Hopkins and eventually became the head of the pediatric neurosurgery department. He risked his career, and luckily the surgery went well and the hospital did not fire Ben. All of the other doctors were away at a conference and Ben had to make a decision. This required immediate surgery, but as a resident Ben did not have the authority or experience to conduct the surgery. In one instance, a young man came in who had been hit with a baseball bat. He learned much during his internship and residency and often took on cases that others were not interested in treating. During his time at Yale he also met his future wife Candy who was a musician and shared Ben’s faith and love of classical music.īen successfully graduated and completed his internship at John Hopkins Hospital he was selected as one of 2 interns from 125 potential candidates. Ultimately, he credits God with his ability to pass chemistry and his future success. Ben found chemistry particularly difficult and believed that failure in this subject might prevent him from achieving his chosen career path of neurosurgery. While he was thrilled to attend the Ivy League school, he found it difficult because everyone at Yale had been successful at their respective high schools and the competition was intense. By the end of high school, Ben had earned a 90 percent scholarship to Yale. ![]() He became interested in psychology when his older brother bought him a subscription to Psychology Today for his birthday. Ben would continue to seek this guidance throughout his life and from that point on, he claims, he no longer had a problem with his temper.Ĭarson was initially interested in rocks and geology, but later became interested in becoming a missionary doctor. Ben became so frightened by what he could have done that he turned to God for guidance. Ben once tried to stab a friend in a fit of rage, but thankfully instead of hitting his friend’s belly, he hit his belt buckle. In his teens, Ben had to learn to control his temper, because when other children teased him because of his perceived lack of intellect or his out of style clothes, he would sometimes lash out. She seemed to know what Ben was capable of even if he did not yet realize it himself. Ben’s mother expected the best from her sons and despite Ben’s poor grades in middle school and part of high school she never lost her faith in his abilities. While they initially complained, they both found a love of reading and excelled academically (Curtis is an engineer). Ben and his brother Curtis were limited to watching two television shows per week and were encouraged to read at least two books per week in addition to completing their schoolwork and helping around the house. ![]() When Ben’s mother was present, she had strict rules and expectations. As a result, Ben and his brother periodically lived with family members while his mother sought treatment. Ben’s parents were divorced and his mother, despite trying to encourage her two children to excel, suffered from mental illness. Carson credits his mother’s persistence with allowing him to see his own talents and to persevere in the face of failure and challenges. In Gifted Hands, Carson recounts his tough childhood in Detroit and the challenges he faced academically growing up. In light of the announcement of Ben Carson’s declaration that he will be running for president in 2016, it seems appropriate to take a closer look at the individual who until now was primarily known as a pediatric surgeon at John Hopkins hospital. ![]()
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