Tony Hansberry II, a 14-year-old, African-American high school freshman, has developed a surgical stitching technique that can ease post-surgery complications and lessen the chance of errors among  physicians, Black America Web reports.

"I've always had a passion for medicine," he told reporter Jackie Jones in a recent interview. "The project I did was, basically, the comparison of novel laparoscopic instruments in doing a hysterectomy repair.”

The youth presented his findings in April at a medical conference at the University of Florida before an audience of doctors and board-certified surgeons.

"I just want to help people and be respected, knowing that I can save lives," said Hansberry, who attends Darnell-Cookman, a special medical magnet school that allows him to take advanced classes in medicine. He hopes to become a neurosurgeon some day.

One of his teachers at Darnell-Cookman Angela TenBroeck said, "He's an outstanding young man, and I'm proud to have him representing us."

Hansberry was an intern at the University of Florida's Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville when he came up with the concept. At the time, he was responding to a challenge to improve on an “endo-stitch” procedure used in hysterectomies.

“It took me a day or two to come up with the concept,” Hansberry said. His discovery earned him  second place at the regional science fair in February 2009.

Tony's mom is a nurse and his dad pastors an African Methodist Episcopal church.