Upon graduation from Medical School, Tamia received her acceptance letter from Vanderbilt University for her residency program. She said she was doubtful when she first received the news.

But when she saw her letter, she felt relieved and excited to be entering the next chapter of her life after so many years of schooling.

“Everything that I’m doing, everything that I’m learning, everything that I experience is for the betterment of someone else,” she said.

Tamia is the first Black woman to accept a spot in the neurosurgery position at Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center, Tennessee in the United States. She said the first time she ever met a Black woman Neurosurgeon was in Medical School.

She continued by stating that the representation was very important because it pushed her to believe in herself. Adding that she hopes to be something similar for the students coming after her.

A professor and chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery in Vanderbilt University mentioned that they trained the first neurosurgery resident of the university in 1932, making Tamia the first Black woman to join in 91 years.

He added that her brilliance and passion for neurosurgery impressed him and his colleagues when she came to submit her proposal for the residency.

Tamia said though people may question her qualifications because of her race, she will ignore them and make the discrimination as a motivation for her to achieve her goals.

“When you walk into the room, everybody thinks you’re a nurse, or they may think you’re a janitor,” she said.

“A lot of people feel like when you go to an HBCU, you are sacrificing quality, and that is something that people should not believe,” she added.

Tamia said she will be resuming at the Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center immediately after her graduation.