Dr. Sharona Ross experienced a life-altering moment on June 1 when a bicycle accident left her with multiple fractures and three weeks of unconsciousness. The nationally respected surgeon, who has no memory of the accident itself or the subsequent emergency transports, found her priorities fundamentally reshaped during recovery. Her first thoughts upon regaining consciousness centered not on her own survival but on her patients' trust and her children's future, revealing what she describes as the most honest definition of vocation.
The accident occurred while Dr. Ross was riding her bicycle, resulting in a skull fracture, facial fracture, and left clavicle fracture. She received initial emergency treatment in St. Petersburg before being transferred to the Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Neurosurgery ICU. After nearly 10 days, she was moved to Shepherd Center in Atlanta for inpatient rehabilitation, where she recalls being unable to walk. Approximately three weeks after the accident, her memory began returning, though it only reached back to the day before the incident.
Dr. Ross's experience exposed what she identifies as a widespread pattern among women in medicine and other high-pressure fields: the normalization of self-neglect as professionalism. "I neglected myself," she states plainly. "Not out of shame, out of habit. Women in high-pressure professions do that. We carry everything. We push through. And somewhere along the way, we forget ourselves." This realization has transformed her personal recovery into a broader mission to help women protect their health before crisis forces the issue.
The surgeon is now preparing an upcoming book focused on helping career-driven women safeguard both physical and emotional well-being without guilt or apology. Her message emphasizes sustaining ambition during adversity, distinguishing between mere survival and true success. This February, Dr. Ross will bring her insights to the 16th Annual International Women in Surgery Career Symposium, taking place February 6–7, 2026, at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida.
The symposium represents a globally recognized event dedicated to advancing, supporting, and sustaining women in surgical careers. Founded to encourage more women to pursue and thrive in surgery, it has evolved into a vital space for mentorship, leadership development, professional strategy, and collective support. Dr. Ross's participation signals a growing recognition within medical communities that addressing systemic issues of burnout and self-neglect requires both institutional support and personal accountability.
"The accident didn't pull me off my path," Dr. Ross explains. "It sharpened it. It reminded me that women don't need to survive alone at the top. We need to lift one another, make room for each other, and protect our health along the way." Her approach models a form of leadership grounded in sustainability and purpose, acknowledging limits while maintaining excellence and allowing vulnerability while preserving authority.
Dr. Ross's journey carries implications beyond individual recovery, highlighting systemic challenges in professions that often reward silence and stoicism. By speaking openly about her experience, she offers what she describes as a radical alternative: honesty. Her forthcoming book and symposium participation represent practical steps toward changing professional cultures that have historically prioritized endurance over wellbeing, particularly for women in leadership positions.
