4 participants practicing tying surgical knots at the University of Michigan
Announcement

Braids, Twists, and Surgical Knots

October 2024

Did you know that traditional Black protective hairstyles and surgical knots share similar techniques? This month, participants visited the University of Michigan to explore this unique connection. In the first half of the program, participants heard from doctors and surgeons about their specialties and motivations for pursuing medicine, as well as salon owners and stylists, who shared insights on what led them into hairstyling and their daily work.

The hands-on portion included practicing braiding on mannequins and tying surgical knots with training materials from the university. One participant shared, “I braid for friends already, but I never knew this side of it. I wish this event happened every weekend.” Another added, “I wasn’t sure about medicine before, but after today, I can really see myself helping people in this way.”