Growing up in the tiny town of St. Joseph, Louisiana, where there were no stoplights, no restaurants, and only one school, Dr. Kendrick Johnson never imagined he would one day perform life-saving brain surgeries. A first-generation college graduate and valedictorian of his high school, Dr. Johnson found his calling in medicine after the loss of his grandmother while he was a freshman in college.
“Seeing how illness impacts a family stays with you,” Dr. Johnson said. “It pushed me to want to be there for others at their most vulnerable moments.”
Today, Dr. Johnson is a dual-fellowship trained cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgeon and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Tulane University School of Medicine. He specializes in diseases of the blood vessels of the brain and neck—conditions such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arterial stenosis, and subdural hematomas. In addition to complex neurovascular cases, he also provides general neurosurgical care, treating patients with spine disorders, trauma, and brain tumors.
Beyond the operating room, Dr. Johnson is passionate about stroke awareness. He leads community education programs that teach people how to recognize the signs of a stroke using the acronym F.A.S.T.—Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech problems, and Time to call 911.
“Even people who have had a stroke before sometimes do not recognize the symptoms as they are happening,” he explained. “By raising awareness, we can save lives and improve outcomes.”
Through his leadership and dedication, Dr. Johnson embodies Tulane’s mission to combine cutting-edge science with compassionate care, helping patients, families, and communities throughout Louisiana and beyond.
