Dr. Sharona Ross experienced a life-altering moment on June 1 when a bicycle accident resulted in a skull fracture, facial fracture, and left clavicle fracture. The trauma rendered her unconscious for approximately three weeks, with no memory of the accident or subsequent emergency care. Her first conscious thought centered not on her own survival but on her patients and family, revealing a deep sense of professional and personal duty that defines her vocation.
The nationally respected surgeon's recovery journey, which included emergency treatment in St. Petersburg, transfer to the Tampa General Hospital Neurosurgery ICU, and inpatient rehabilitation at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, became a period of profound reflection. While her physical healing progressed—regaining the ability to walk and recovering memory up to the day before the accident—Dr. Ross recognized a pattern of self-neglect common among women in demanding fields. She observed that women in medicine and other high-pressure professions often normalize exhaustion and treat self-neglect as professionalism, prioritizing care for others while neglecting their own well-being.
This realization has transformed Dr. Ross's personal experience into a broader mission. She now advocates for women to protect their health proactively rather than waiting for crisis to justify care. Her message emphasizes sustaining ambition through adversity while maintaining physical and emotional well-being without guilt or apology. Dr. Ross is preparing a book focused on helping career-driven women achieve this balance and will share her insights at the 16th Annual International Women in Surgery Career Symposium taking place February 6–7, 2026, at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in Florida.
The symposium, founded to encourage more women to pursue and thrive in surgical careers, serves as a vital space for mentorship, leadership development, and collective support. More information about the event is available at https://www.womeninsurgery.org/symposium. Dr. Ross's participation represents a shift toward addressing the invisible costs of excellence in professions that traditionally reward stoicism. Her approach redefines strength as the capacity to listen, heal, reflect, and return with greater intention—ultimately elevating others rather than dominating.
Dr. Ross maintains that the accident did not divert her from her path but sharpened it, reinforcing the importance of mutual support and health protection for women in leadership positions. Her story demonstrates how personal adversity can catalyze professional evolution, particularly in fields where vulnerability is seldom acknowledged. By modeling leadership grounded in sustainability and purpose, Dr. Ross offers an alternative to the culture of silence that often surrounds well-being in high-stakes careers.
