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For the First Time, an All-Black Team Leads Johns Hopkins Trauma Service

History in the ER: Five African-American surgeons now lead the trauma service at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Read about this historic team.
By 
February 17, 2026
2 mins read
Surgeons John Hopkins

History in the ER: Five African-American Surgeons Take the Lead at Johns Hopkins

When we think about medical breakthroughs at legendary institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, we usually imagine new technologies or revolutionary procedures. But this week, ABC News highlighted a breakthrough of a different kind, one that is redefining what leadership looks like in one of the world’s most prestigious trauma centers.

For the first time in the hospital’s history, the trauma service is now led by a team of five African-American surgeons. It is a milestone that ABC’s Lindsay Davis described not just as a portrait, but as “a moment suspended in history.”

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For Dr. Lawrence Brown, one of the surgeons on this historic team, the achievement is personal. As the first physician in his family, he admits his parents are “so proud,” but his focus remains heavily on the responsibility that comes with the title.

“Medicine is more than science, it’s service,” Dr. Brown told ABC. For him, the diversity of the team directly translates to the quality of care. “Equity has to remain at the forefront of how we deliver patient care, how we do research, how we scale programs up in our healthcare system.”

While Dr. Brown is establishing a new legacy for his family, Dr. Zachary Numa is continuing one. Growing up in Columbus, Georgia in the 1990s, Dr. Numa had a front-row seat to Black excellence in medicine.

“I watched my parents—my mom, a family medicine doctor, my dad, a general surgeon—show up to serve patients every day,” Dr. Numa shared. That inherited sense of purpose has now carried him to the trauma bays of Hopkins, where he serves as a living result of that modeling.

The impact of this moment isn’t lost on the team. They know that their presence in the trauma unit does more than just save lives physically; it saves dreams metaphorically for those watching from the outside.

Dr. Ife Shionbo summed up the weight of the moment perfectly. “The best part is that I get to save lives and have an impact every single day,” Dr. Shionbo said, before offering a word to the next generation of surgeons. “To anyone who’s watching, realize that your dream and capacity can only be limited by you. And if you can think it, see it, then you can absolutely reach it.”

In a field where representation has historically lagged, these five surgeons are proving that excellence and equity go hand in hand. It’s a new day at Johns Hopkins, and the future of trauma care is in very capable hands.