Dr. Seun Adetayo, renowned plastic surgeon, author, and inspiring speaker, shares the advice she would have given to herself as a young black, female, immigrant who arrived alone in the U.S. to pursue her dream of a career in the medical field.

 OMAHA, NE – December 05, 2020 – Dr. Seun Adetayo, renowned plastic surgeon, author, and inspiring speaker, has posted a new article on her website entitled, “Never Let Someone Else’s Opinion Stop You From Trying.” Dr. Adetayo talks about being teachable and having a willingness to learn as important attributes in anyone pursuing a professional dream, yet also advises staying true to oneself.

Dr. Adetayo writes, “I was recently interviewed by Laurie Baedke on the Growth Edge Leadership Podcast. Our conversation ranged across a variety of topics including my journey from Nigeria as a teenager to the United States to pursue my love of medicine, cultural competency and diversity in medicine, and leadership.” Dr. Adetayo shares the link to the podcast at the end of the article.

As Dr. Adetayo continues, she states, “I found that one of the most poignant questions was the last one Laurie posed. She asked me, “If you could sit down with the young version of you, what advice would you give yourself?” According to Dr. Adetayo, “It took me a moment to hone-in on just one answer, but I decided on one that was important and hopefully most helpful to others.” She states, “My answer to that question is to never let the opinions of others, no matter how successful, respected or well-intentioned they may be, influence your decision and determination to try something.” She continues adding, “Now, this does not mean that you throw caution or advice out the window. Rather, you take advice and counsel, figure out the good from the bad, and then decide which to incorporate. But you do not let the opinion of others stop you from trying to become what you want to be.  Sometimes, you have to take a calculated risk and succeed or fail on your own terms.”

“I had exceptionally supportive parents who encouraged me on every step of my journey,” Dr. Adetayo writes, adding, “And, they still do to this day. I am so grateful for my family, and when challenges arose, we tackled them as a team. However,” she writes, “when I came to the U.S., my parents were not here. I was pretty much on my own. Being black, female, and an immigrant, I had three strikes against me. But, I had to figure out how to navigate these challenges and stay true to myself without losing the essence of who I was or the type of person I wanted to become.” 

Dr. Adetayo shares, “Throughout the early days of my journey, I was often told in no uncertain terms, by very successful, respected and credentialed people that I would not be successful. I was told I didn’t have the right legacy or pedigree. I was told that I didn’t belong in the medical “system.””

 

The entire article can be read at http://seunadetayo.com/2020/12/02/never-let-someone-elses-opinion-stop-you-from-trying/

 

About Dr. Adetayo

Dr. Seun Adetayo currently practices in Omaha, Nebraska. She is a board-certified Plastic Surgeon and a Diplomat of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  She is a Professor of Surgery and Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Adetayo is unique in her field. As a gifted surgeon operating in a competitive field, Dr. Adetayo is also the first foreign-born (Nigerian) female minority surgeon to have built a successful nationally accredited multidisciplinary program for children with birth defects in Northeastern New York. She continued in this trajectory of helping patients and families as she now heads the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery where she serves as the Chief at the Children’s Hospital.  Her journey has been dedicated to caring for patients and their families; mentorship for students, residents, and faculty; advocacy for legislation at a local and national level; research; education; and community engagement and leadership. She shares her journey and strategies for success via her print material, meeting panels, blogs, and speaking engagements.

Dr. Adetayo has authored several book chapters in leading texts, including the second edition of Comprehensive Cleft Care which is an authoritative text volume on cleft and craniofacial disorders and treatment.  She also authored a chapter in the Family Companion Guide for educating patients and families with cleft and craniofacial diagnoses. She was also the author of the chapter on the treatment of zygoma fractures in the text Operative Techniques in Plastic Surgery.

She has received over 40 awards and recognition, and her work has resulted in over 50 published works and over 60 presented works at regional, national, and international meetings. She is published in peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, Annals of Plastic Surgery, Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, and Journal of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics.

Dr. Adetayo plays an important role in mentoring and education in surgery, healthcare, and professional circles. She served as an invited surgeon and surgical educator during her last mission trip to Zimbabwe, where she served as the lead surgeon and guest lecturer for various hands-on plastic surgical reconstructions and teaching sessions. She is active in Women In Leadership lectures and advocacy. She served as a speaker for the Synthes collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Company on Improving Cultural Competence and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare, and was one of four selected panelist speakers on Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery International Program by L’Oreal in conjunction with Resurge International. She was an invited speaker at the 2019 Healthcare Finance Management Association (HFMA) annual Women In Leadership Conference in upstate New York. In January 2020, she served as the Keynote Speaker for the Stryker Women’s Network National Conference National Women in Surgery and Leadership event in California.

Dr. Adetayo has served in various community leadership positions including Chairperson of the Long Beach Rescue Mission, Co-President of the Phi Delta Epsilon Premedical Society, Co-President of the Pritzker REMEDY Cuba Medical Aid Mission, Coordinator of the Chicago Local Chapter of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) program for inner-city Chicago school kids. She currently serves as Managing Editor and Co-Chair of the Learning Resource Committee of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA).

She has been involved in various medical education and surgical trips to several countries including Cuba, Haiti, Nigeria, Peru, and Zimbabwe as an educator and surgeon.  She was awarded a Diploma of Honor conferred by the President of the Congress of the Republic of Peru.  She collaborates on meaningful initiatives with various international organizations including Rotary International and The Smile Train on improving surgical outcomes, healthcare delivery, patient safety, and quality control standards in surgical reconstruction. She continues to be active in advocacy and philanthropic efforts in developing children and advancing communities.

 

 

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