Alumni Profile: Mary Austin, MD – Surgeon’s career shaped by childhood diagnosis
March 14, 2018
As a pediatric surgeon, Mary Austin, MD’00, MPH’05, performs 300-500 wide-ranging cases per year. She is also part of a large team that does about 10-15 in utero repairs of myelomeningocele, the most common form of spina bifida, which is, coincidentally, the same problem she was born with.
“My diagnosis was a surprise to my mom and dad. When I was born, the doctors told my mom I may need braces to walk and potentially have great difficulty. I had none of that,” said Austin, who was born with the opening in her lower back that was closed shortly after birth.
