The Directory of Black Women Physicians

Dr. Vivian Jolley Bea, a gifted surgeon and Board Certified General Surgeon who completed training in Breast Surgical Oncology at the prestigious M.D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.  Her passion, hard work and dedication to saving lives and improving the quality of life of all of her patients has made her a rising star in the medical field.

Dr. Bea came from a humble background.  She was born and raised in the inner city of Washington, D.C as the middle of seven children.  As a child, she quickly realized music and academics were her way out of the inner city, so she worked endless hours to excel.  Dedicated to her craft, Dr. Bea was subsequently awarded a full music and academic scholarship to attend the University of Miami where she majored in Music Performance (Classical Flute) and Biology (Pre-Medicine) with a minor in African American Studies minor.  Graduating Cum Laude and serving as the University of Miami commencement speaker, Dr. Bea went on to complete her Masters in Biological Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.  Committed to serving underserved populations, Dr. Bea chose to attend Morehouse School of Medicine whose mission was to serve the underserved.  There she was met with multiple awards and recognitions for her dedication to eliminating healthcare disparities.  After her matriculation from Morehouse, Dr. Bea continued on to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) General Surgery Residency training program.  While in Charleston, Dr. Bea continued her work in addressing breast cancer disparities through research and health initiatives, presenting her research at major meetings across the world.

Dr. Bea served as a Breast Surgical Oncologist and Chair of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program at the esteemed MD Anderson Cooper in Camden, New Jersey from 2017-2019. In 2019, Dr. Bea was appointed Chief of the Section of Breast Surgery at NewYork Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Assistant Professor of Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Bea remains passionate about her community and is the co-founder of G.L.O.S.S. (Girls Loving OurSelves Successfully), a program focused on mentoring middle and high school girls.  Dr. Bea is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and the recipient of a host of awards and accolades for her accomplishments, and commitment to her patients and the community.  Dr. Bea is also garnering recognition in the press as well. She has been featured on ABC, the Washington Informer website, The Black News website, as well as the Catalyst Newspaper to name a few.