PHOTO/ASHLEY MAHONEY

Rosalyn Scott M.D. is the first African American woman cardiothoracic surgeon.

Production proceeds passion.

As the first African American female cardiothoracic surgeon, Rosalyn P. Scott, M.D., let her love of medicine guide her rather than let animosity toward those who would try to stop her cloud her judgment.  

“How is the battle?” Scott laughed when asked about the notorious glass ceiling. “There is a glass ceiling. I think the smartest thing to do is to understand there is, but not to let it preoccupy you, and not to keep a chip on your shoulder.”

In a recent talk at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center as part of Novant’s continued pursuit of diversity, Scott conveyed how “sometimes the way across the glass ceiling is to find niches where people are doing things that others aren’t.”  

A professor of surgery at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine and chief of surgical service at the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ohio, Scott has pushed beyond the confines of the glass ceiling.  

“I’ve seen people that perceive their lack of advancement as related to, whether it’s being a woman, or being a minority, or whatever the issue is, and that becomes who they are,” she said. “Rather than just continuing to strive for excellence, and along the way, you do meet people who give you opportunities.

“The important thing is to navigate with grace, and also with to look for good mentors along the way…I think seeking people that you’re comfortable talking to and getting advice from is important, and I think it’s always important to be very authentic.”  

From an early age, Scott fell in love with medicine.  

“I always wanted to be a physician, except for the two months that I wanted to be a ballerina, like every little girl,” she said. “My father told me that I was too intelligent to waste my brain on dancing. I think that was his kind way of saying I was too fat and didn’t have a dancer’s physique. I always did dance. I took lessons, and I was always in talent shows—even into college.”  

However, Scott remains involved with dance by serving on the board of directors for the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.“which is an African-American modern dance company that has had engagements around the world,” she explained. “So I still have my love for dance and supporting it.” 

Growing up in a family of achievers, Scott pushed outside of the female/minority box.  

“My father was a dentist, and my uncle was a surgeon,” she said. “So all of their friends were either physicians or dentists, so it’s really just the only thing I knew about—not the only thing, but I really did grow up around it.”  

Scott engrossed herself in a life of learning.  

“On weekends I would go to my father’s office after attending classes at the museum in Newark, New Jersey—his office was near the Newark Museum—and so I would go to his office, and my biggest two thrills were arranging his instruments in his dental office,” she said. “Each of his instruments were in little scooped, sort of little milk glass holders, so each individual little instrument had a scooped out area that it rested in. He would let me sterilize his instruments and put them in their proper place, and then he would also let me press the button to take an X-ray. Those were big thrills for me at the time. I read all the novels I could find about medicine, about doctors, and so it was really what I’ve always wanted to do.”    

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