Lori Alvord

About the Author

Lori Alvord, MD, is a pioneering Navajo surgeon and the first Native American woman to become a board-certified surgeon in the United States. Raised on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico, she navigated the worlds of traditional Diné healing practices and modern Western medicine, ultimately blending both in her innovative approach to patient care. As a professor of surgery at Dartmouth Medical School and a respected voice in healthcare equity, Alvord has dedicated her career to bridging cultural divides in medicine, emphasizing holistic healing that honors indigenous wisdom. Her memoir, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear, chronicles this remarkable journey, inspiring readers to reconsider the intersections of science, spirituality, and community in wellness.