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Ben Carson M.D. Author National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Ben Carson

Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. is a famous American retired neurosurgeon and politician who served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021. His is a story that will always be written and rewritten and still will not fade. A pioneer in the field of neurosurgery, he was a candidate for President of the United States in the 2016 Republican primaries. As a man of many firsts, he achieved several milestones throughout his career including being the first person to successfully operate on conjoined twins and separate them, a successful author and motivational speaker amongst many.

Carson also accomplished many other breakthroughs in his neurosurgery career that paved the way for more developed medical science applications in the future. Ben Carson competed as an independent candidate in the Presidential race of 2016. Looking at all his achievements, it might seem impossible to believe that this brilliant doctor was raised in a poor family in America. He faced many hardships and setbacks in his life and emerged as one of the most successful doctors not only in America but also in the world. Let us look at the Top 10 Interesting Facts about Ben Carson. A story of hope demonstrating rugs to riches is real, hard work pays and inspiration.

1. Ben Was Raised By His Single Mother From A Very Early Age

Born on September 18, 1951, to a poor family, Benjamin Solomon Carson was the younger son of Robert Solomon Carson Jr. and Sonya Carson. He was born in Detroit, Michigan where he lived with his parents. However, at the age of five, Carson’s mother Sonya separated with her husband after finding out that he had a prior wife whom he did not divorce. In 1959, at the young age of eight, his parents got separated and the life of misery started for him. His mother became very depressed and could barely look after Ben and his elder brother at that time. However, later it was Sonya’s hard work and sacrifices that pushed Carson to use his intelligence in the right way and do something extraordinary with his life.

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2. Ben As A Child Was Not Very Focused On His Studies

His book 鈥榞ifted hands鈥� brings him out as a child who was not very focused on his studies. He always had altercations with his mother. He later explained that from a very young age he had anger issues which could be attributed to the poverty situation in their home at that time. He was known to be so furious and short-tempered that he would often rush at people to hit them with bats, bricks, and hammers at the slightest misunderstandings. As a result, he always posted poor grades and was often the laughing stalk in his class as he initially was nicknamed 鈥榯he dummy鈥� in elementary school. Once he attempted to stab his close friend over a quarrel on changing radio stations. This was the turning point for young Ben. He rushed home after this incident and prayed to God and devoted his attention to reading books of proverbs.

3. Carson Was Addicted To Watching Television As A Child

Carson was addicted to watching television as a child. Carson remembers how important education was to his mother despite their poverty. He once said in an interview, 鈥淪he was a person who believed in education even though she didn鈥檛 have any because she worked as a domestic, cleaning out of people鈥檚 houses and she noticed they were beautiful homes and she said what makes these people so successful and she studied them she was really a spy and she said it鈥檚 because they don鈥檛 watch TV all day and they read a lot of books.鈥�

鈥淪he came home and imposed that on me and my brother,鈥� he continued. 鈥淲e were not happy campers but we had to do it. That really changed me from a failing student to an academic superstar.鈥�

Sonya limited the television time to two shows per week and instructed them to write a review on two books every week after reading. Soon this strict enforcement of Ben’s mother started to pay off, he began to score well in his school and one day could also answer many unknown questions such as those about rocks his teacher brought to class. This became a major turning point for him and the start of Benjamin Carson’s bright career.

4. He Became The Youngest Ever Director Of Pediatric Neurosurgery In Any Hospital

John Hopkins University. Author Daderot.

Dr. Carson had passion for pediatric neurosurgery from his days studying medicine. It was not a surprise when he became the youngest ever director of Pediatric neurosurgery in any hospital at the age of 33. It was during this time that he was inspired and went on to do great things in the field of pediatric neurosurgery. He retired as the professor of neurosurgery, plastic surgery, pediatrics, and oncology from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine after residing as the director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Children’s Center for 29 years.

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5. He Successfully Separated A Pair Of Conjoined Twins

Ben Carson, M.D. Author National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The then 35-year old neurosurgeon鈥檚 moment of glory in the field of neurosurgery is his success to separate a pair of conjoined twins. In 1987, Carson operated on a pair of conjoined twins called the Binder twins who were joined at the back of the head since birth. He led a team of 70 members who worked on the case of separating the twins for 22 hours. The twins were separated successfully at the end of the operation and this created medical history. Before this, any operation that tried separating conjoined twins either resulted in the death of one of the twins or both of them. This was the first instance of separating such pairs successfully and this made Dr. Carson one of the most important personalities in the field of neurosurgery.

This unique moment catapulted him to stardom and he remained one of the most sought after medical practitioners. He crowned the moment walking out majestically out of the operating room to the post-surgery conference covered worldwide

6. He Performed The First Successful Neurological Procedures On A Fetus Inside The Mother鈥檚 Womb

Ben Carson, M.D., works medical miracles. Today, he’s one of the most celebrated neurosurgeons in the world. Like many stories from the frontiers of medical science, it鈥檚 a hard one to fit into an inspirational narrative. Carson鈥檚 story is a tale of risk and loss and brutally tough options. His other surgical innovations include the first successful neurological procedures on a fetus inside the mother’s womb. He came up with an intra-uterine procedure to relieve the pressure on the brain of a hydrocephalic fetal twin.

7. He Is A Motivational Speaker Regarded Very Highly

Ben Carson as a Motivational Speaker. Author Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America.

Apart from being an excellent neurosurgeon, Carson was also in high demand for public speaking in many gatherings to inspire the youth and the doctor did it without any hesitation. After retiring from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Carson began to speak more frequently in the public. He voiced his opinions against the public issues and emerged as a strong critic of the Obama Administration in the US. He retired completely from the field of medicine in 2013.

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8. Ben Carson aimed to run for the Presidential election in 2016

Carson announced he was running for the Republican nomination in the 2016 Presidential election at a rally in Detroit, his hometown. Author Michael Vadon.

The former presidential candidate has also tried his hands in politics. As one of the influential persons in the US he was a presidential candidate in 2016. Once considered a front runner for the Republican ticket, he changed to an independent party.  However, he did not perform as he expected after losing in all 11 states holding the primary elections for the presidential position. He therefore ended his presidential campaign on March 2, 2016 and opted to endorse his former rival candidate Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.

He was also known to strongly opposed Barrack Obama and criticized every issue of the ruling party publicly. After Trump won the presidential election in 2016, Carson was offered a position in the administration as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and in 2017; he officially became a member of the senate.

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9. Carson Authored Ten Books In His Life  

Not only an accomplished and undoubtedly one of the best neurosurgeons in the world but Carson is also renowned for his presence in diverse fields. An exceptionally talented neurosurgeon, he authored ten books in his life out of which six are individually bestsellers including 鈥楪ifted Hands鈥� The Ben Carson Story was Carson’s autobiography. Later this book was adapted into an inspiring movie.

10. He Has Been Honored With Many Awards For His Exceptional Discoveries In The Medical Field

The pioneer of neurosurgery, Benjamin Carson has been honored with many awards for his exceptional discoveries in the medical field. He is an obliged member of the American Academy of Achievement, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. All these organizations recognize some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields. He was awarded 38 honorary doctorate degrees in his life with innumerable national merit citations. The Detroit Public Schools where Carson got his primary education included a school in Carson’s name called Dr. Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine for those who want to pursue a career in health care.

In the year 2000, Ben Carson received the esteemed Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged which is given by Jefferson Awards.

On the 200th anniversary of the Library of Congress, Carson was elected as Library of Congress Living Legend in 2001. He was the 89th person to receive this honor.

In 2005, Carson got the William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership award for conducting charitable works like the Carson Scholars Fund throughout his life.

He received the Spingarn Medal from NAACP, the highest honor for his outstanding achievements in 2006.