Dr. Lattisha Bilbrew is a board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery and the first Black woman to become a partner at Resurgens Orthopaedics—Georgia’s largest orthopedic practice. She is one of fewer than five practicing Black female orthopaedic surgeons in the entire state, breaking barriers in a field where fewer than 2% of surgeons are women of color. Born in Birmingham, England to Jamaican parents, Dr. Bilbrew’s story is one of resilience, faith, and purpose. Dr. Bilbrew’s research interests include diversity and inclusion within orthopaedic surgery. Her work on racial disparities in the treatment and evaluation of carpal tunnel syndrome has been published in peer-reviewed medical literature. An advocate for health equity, Dr. Bilbrew travels annually to Washington, D.C., representing the AAOS before members of Congress on issues such as Medicare reform, prior authorization, and physician-owned hospital access. Her leadership and influence have earned her numerous honors, including recognition in The Atlantan Magazine as one of Atlanta’s Top Orthopaedic Surgeons, Georgia Trend’s “Top 40 Under 40,” and Modern Luxury’s “Most Powerful Women of Atlanta” and “Influential Atlantans in Medicine.” Episode Description: Dr. Bilbrew shares her powerful journey into medicine, inspired by a personal family experience that shaped her mission to lead with empathy and compassion. As one of the few Black women in orthopedic surgery, she reflects on embracing identity, breaking barriers, and navigating bias with pride in her Jamaican heritage. She discusses how individual empathy and systemic advocacy work hand-in-hand to advance health equity, from patient-level connection to policy-level change. Dr. Bilbrew also highlights the importance of mentorship, community engagement, and preparing future clinicians to serve with purpose, integrity, and understanding. Dr. Bilbrew is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller, Yes, I Am The Surgeon: Lessons on Perseverance in a World That Tells You No, a compelling memoir of resilience, representation, and faith. Her forthcoming book, Measure Twice, Cut Once: Lessons on Confidence in a World That Tells You No, explores the power of preparation, purpose, and self-trust in overcoming adversity.
