Dr. Keyne Johnson – Pediatric Neurosurgeon

You Can Have It All

By Desnee Young

Meeting Dr. Keyne Johnson, Pediatric Neurosurgeon, is like walking head-first into a burst of spring. She is just that energetic. Her energy level makes one think of flowers blooming, wind blowing, children playing, people hustling and bustling, and laughter all occurring simultaneously.

I met Dr. Johnson for the first time at the Authenticity Professional Women’s Retreat which is held annually in Orlando, Florida. She was a speaker at the event, presenting to a very diverse group of women on the topic of Work/Life Balance. The question on everyone’s mind was how does a Brain Surgeon keep it all together? Dr. Johnson definitely gave us some answers beginning with Time Management.

Her day begins in the wee hours of the morning giving her time to meditate and pray before her family stirs. Yes, she has time for a family. Dr. Keyne is married to husband Eric and they have two sons, ages five and three.

Dr. Johnson has her own practice in Orlando, Florida. When I asked her when she knew she wanted to become a Doctor her quick and adamant response was “at the age of 3.”

Dr. Johnson is the first doctor in her family. She was twelve when she decided that the brain would be her area of focus. Living in Maryland at that time, the first conjoined twins were being separated by Dr. Ben Carson. All over the news, the story peaked her interest and even more so, the African-American doctor who would be leading the team that would perform the operation at John Hopkins. Excited about what she was experiencing and already interested in the medical field, she told her father that she was going to become a pediatric brain surgeon. Affirmation came in her father’s response “you sure can.” Of course there were the naysayers along the way with the usual concerns regarding having a family, raising children and the difficulty of her chosen profession. With her father’s voice in her ear, Dr. Johnson continued to move forward towards accomplishing her dream.

Coming from a very competitive family, she saw the surgeon that performed the successful separation of the twins, Dr. Carson, as a mentor, someone she aspired to be like, but also in the back of her mind she saw him as the competition. “If he could do it, I can do it.” In her 4th year of medical school she had the opportunity to do an away rotation at John Hopkins and found herself working alongside him as a colleague.

Why Pediatric Brain Surgery? She has always loved kids, and considers herself a big kid. “Perhaps”, she says, “it’s because of the laughter and spirits of the children, and also because no matter how life knocks them down, they keep getting back up.” Dr. Johnson goes on to explain to me the intricacies of a child’s brain and how after what may look to be impossible odds, even the removal of half the brain of a child, they are still able to walk and talk. This is because the brain of a child is still developing connections that enable kids that have suffered traumatic injuries to recuperate.
Dr. Johnson attended the University of Pittsburg for her undergraduate degree. She remained at the university to complete the required four years of medical school. For Neurosurgery the residency is six years. Those years were spent at Duke University. Because her interest was pediatrics, a one year fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital, which is a part of Baylor University in Houston, Texas, was completed. She then moved to Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Johnson encourages students to get into the environment of their career of choice to get an idea of what the field is about no matter what it is. Ask to shadow someone in that field to see if you really like it. She tells students to enjoy themselves in their first four years of college. Once you are in medical school things get serious, really quickly, so take the time to enjoy your college years. If you major in English, for example, make sure that you do well in that major, because your GPA is what will be considered when you apply for medical school.
Her greatest moments include the birth of her children and professionally, there is not one in particular, but she will always remember the first time the child, that was brought to the hospital, literally brain dead, later was able to walk into her office.

The interview with Dr. Johnson was truly one of inspiration. Dr. Johnson is a true role model and testament to what one can do as a result of a strong support system, study, hard work, and sheer determination.