A Black woman doctor on the rise has made history in the medical field.

Match Day is when medical students find out where they have matched for their residency and, for Dr. Tamia Potter, her celebratory day turned into a historical moment.



The Florida native became the first Black woman neurosurgeon resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN  — that makes her the first in 148 years since its opening in 1874.

“My first job was a certified nursing assistant at 17 years old in 2014. Today on March 17th, 2023 I was blessed to be selected as the first African American female neurosurgery resident to train @VUMC_Neurosurg,” Potter wrote in a Twitter post.

Along with Dr. Potter’s dedication and resilience, mentorship from Dr. Chelsea Mooreland guided her along the way to secure her spot in Vanderbilt’s neurological surgery residency program, according to Dr. Ashley Denmark, the founder and CEO of Project Diversify Medicine.

“I could not be more proud of my amazingly talented and brilliant mentee who just so happens to be a Beta Alpha Soror and FAMU Alumnae,” Dr. Mooreland wrote in an Instagram post.

“We are thrilled to announce our new Vanderbilt Neurosurgery residents! Congratulations- we are so excited to have you on our team!,” VUMC Neurosurgery shared on Twitter.

Prior to matching with Vanderbilt, Potter majored in chemistry at FAMU and attended Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio.