A local Detroit doctor has returned home from her time in Kalamazoo to take on a new role, that of the Chair of the Detroit Medical Center’s Adult Neurosurgical Department, and she’s breaking barriers in the process.
Dr. Sonia Eden always knew she wanted to practice medicine. As a child, excelling in S.T.E.M courses in school, Dr. Eden graduated from Yale University pre-med with a Mechanical Engineering degree. Going on to complete medical school at the University of Michigan and a residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Neurological Surgery, the doctor spent the last 12 years practicing neurosurgery in Kalamazoo and held an academic affiliation with Western Michigan University.
“The whole time, my path was towards neurosurgery. I did engineering, just in case. I’ve always had this fear that I would be afraid of human blood and things of that nature, so I did mechanical engineering as a backup in case that happened, but I never had to use it,” Dr. Eden says.
Now, leading the charge as the first African American woman to chair the adult neurosurgical department for the Detroit Medical Center, Dr. Eden is also the Interim Chair of Neurosurgery at Wayne State University School of Medicine.
As a child, trips to the family doctor were exciting as it meant the future doctor would have a chance to interact with someone who would serve as an inspiration. At a young age, Dr. Eden knew medicine would be her path and it was in large part because of those trips to see the doctor.
“It was early on when I decided I wanted to be a doctor,” Eden says. “When I was a little girl, we used to go to the doctor, our family doctor, Dr. Coon. Dr. Coon had a really big impact on me,” Eden says.
The young physician began to show signs of being interested in, not just medicine, but the brain. Detailing a memory from childhood, Dr. Eden shares her mother may have had insight into the future. A sufferer of migraines, Dr. Eden’s mother could be seen as the doctor’s very first patient as she recounts the memory.
“One day, I was about four or five and my mom was lying down. And I came up to her and asked, ‘mommy does your head hurt?’ She said, ‘yes’ and I told her I would fix her and make her better. I went to the kitchen and got utensils from the kitchen and came back and said, ‘mommy close your eyes I’m going to do brain surgery on you,’” Eden says.
At one point considering a future in veterinary medicine, the doctor’s interests were solidified after being able to witness a live surgery. Knowing the brain interested her, she was asked if she would like to see the brain up close and personal.
“Near the end of high school, I had a chance to see a brain surgery at Henry Ford Hospital during a summer program there for research…it was brain related research and they knew I was fascinated by the brain and asked if I wanted to see a brain surgery,” Dr. Eden says. “It was at that point I knew neurosurgery was it for me.”
After a career rooted in helping, the doctor admires creating lasting connections and establishing trust with her patients. While also enjoying the operating room, Dr. Eden’s expertise and skill fall in line with building true ties with those in her care.
“My favorite thing about being a doctor is [really] two things. The first thing is operating. I love being in surgery and doing surgeries and having the instant gratification and the technical skills and the ability to do something to a patient and see them improve,” Dr. Eden says. “The second thing that I like about medicine is the human connection. We connect with, not only our patients, but colleagues and that means a lot to me.”
Paving the way for others, this doctor is not focused on accomplishments, but the true work of being a doctor. Often the only African American female at the table, finding other mentors in her field of work can prove difficult.
“Over the years, I’ve grown used to being the only one in the room doing what I do,” Dr. Eden says. “I think that sometimes it has been a little bit of an adversity when it comes to me reaching out and finding mentors and connections in my field or people to support me who look like me.”
Now, back in the city, the doctor is stepping into her new roles and looking forward to assisting the residents of Detroit.
“I’m back. I’m happy to be back home and serving the community,” Dr. Eden says.
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