Dr. Donna Mendes is the first female African American vascular surgeon in the U.S. A trailblazer, she has ventured in a field with few women or people of color.

But what is vascular surgery? "It is the surgery of blood vessels that are not located in the thoracic or chest cavity. A vascular surgeon, for example, may specifically deal with arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries," stresses Dr. Mendes.

After considering a career in speech therapy, this seasoned medical professional switched majors and became a premedical student at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Between study time and classes, she helped to organize other Black premedical students by organizing a premedical club. In 1973, she graduated from Hofstra with a bachelor's degree in Biology.

Although she was accepted to several medical schools, she decided to attend Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. That first year was difficult. "At Columbia, there were many first-year students who had graduated at the tops of their classes, and this created a very competitive atmosphere. Fortunately, there were eleven Black students in our class, and we helped each other by studying together," Mendes remembers. 

In 1977, the group of tightly-knit eleven graduated, received MD degrees, and went to to do their postgraduate first years (internships). Setting her sights high, Mendes began her internship at St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital on New York's Upper West Side. At the same time, she was a Visiting Clinical Fellow at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. At the completion of her internship, she did her Vascular Surgery fellowship at The Englewood Hospital in New Jersey.

Today, Mendes serves as Senior Vascular Surgeon at St. Luke's/Roosevelt, Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at Columbia and was the president of the Hospital's Medical Board. She is a member of the Vascular Society and served as Chair of its Diversity Committee for many years. She is on the Board of Directors of Hofstra University, her alma mater. Recently, she partnered with King Edward Vll Memorial Hospital in Bermuda to participate in its Vascular Access Management Program. She also participated in the Upper Manhattan Health Initiative. From 2000-2005, she was Chief of Vascular Surgery at North General Hospital, once an affiliate of St. Luke's/Roosevelt. 

"To survive in surgery, you must have a strong ego. You have to be assertive by saying what you feel, but also be open to suggestions," Mendes says.

She is very dedicated to helping African Americans who suffer from vascular disease and interested in determining reasons why being African American is a risk factor for vascular disease. She is also a role model to and helps young women of color who want to pursue medical careers.