Dr. Alexa Irene Canady, Neurosurgeon

Dr. Alexa Irene Canady, Neurosurgeon

Born November 7, 1950

In 1981 Dr. Alexa Canady became the first Black female Neurosurgeon in the United States.
She specialized in Pediatric Neurology.

In 1984 she received the Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Teacher of the Year Award.

She was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1993 she received the American Medical Women’s Association President’s Award.

Her academic career was spent at Wayne State University where she held the position of professor and vice-chair of the Department of Neurosurgery.

She was a well-respected teacher and received the Teacher of the Year award from Children’s Hospital of Michigan and the Distinguished Service Award from Wayne State University.

During her career, Dr. Canady engaged in research to make advances in neurosurgical techniques.

This research led to the invention of a programmable antisiphon shunt to treat hydrocephalus, an abnormal accumulation of fluid inside the brain.

She shares a U.S. patent for the shunt with two fellow neurosurgeons.

After retiring and moving to Florida in 2001, Dr. Canady was convinced to return to work as the only pediatric neurosurgeon in her area.

She served as a part-time surgeon at Sacred Heart Medical Group in Pensacola, Florida, until 2012 when she retired fully.