Well-regarded in medicine for her expertise in cardiology and higher education, Ellen Jane Killebrew, MD, has practiced in the cardiology field for over 50 years. Her contributions to the health field and higher education have been widely recognized, and she has improved the lives of countless patients throughout her career.
From Personal Experience to Professional Career
Dr. Killebrew’s interest in medicine began when she was 13 and ill with gastroenteritis. While Dr. Killebrew’s mother attempted to use home remedies to treat her daughter’s condition, nothing worked, which led her to contact the family doctor. Arriving after his office hours, the doctor opened his “magic bag.” After a short series of injections and pills, Dr. Killebrew was back in good health, with the experience leaving a significant impression on her life and inspiring her to become a doctor.
The reality of becoming a doctor differed from Dr. Killebrew’s childhood dreams. As one of four female students, she faced difficulties during medical school, but with the support of her female classmates, she overcame those challenges. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bucknell University in 1959 and completed a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1965. She then completed an internship and residency at the University of Colorado and a fellowship in cardiology at the Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. In addition to her education, she is board-certified in cardiovascular medicine and internal medicine.
Professional Career
As a female cardiologist, Dr. Killebrew faced significant obstacles in finding work early in her professional career, as many practices would not accept a woman into their ranks. At the beginning of her career, she was the director of coronary care at the Permanente Medical Group and taught a coronary care course at Contra Costa College between 1973 and 1976.
Since 1970, Dr. Killebrew has served as a noninvasive cardiologist at a small Kaiser hospital. While she enjoyed this position, she sought to challenge herself more and decided to start teaching in higher education. Since 1992, she has also thrived as a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco and served on the admissions panel of the University of California Berkeley’s Joint Medical Program from 1998 to 2016.
The Magic Bag
In addition to her professional experience as a cardiologist and educator, Dr. Killebrew’s impressive five-decade-long career is highlighted in her memoir, “The Magic Bag: Adventures of a Pioneer Female Cardiologist.” In the book, she discusses her long-standing career in medicine and academia and highlights the remarkable transformations in medicine and women’s place in medicine since the 1960s.
William Kotzwinkle, author of “E.T. the Extraterrestrial,” stated that Dr. Killebrew’s memoir is “the fascinating story of a woman’s love affair with medicine.”
“The Magic Bag” also raises awareness of how female cardiac patients were treated during the 1960s, with doctors often prescribing bed rest over discovering the root of the condition. As a result, Dr. Killebrew spent her career advocating for women to receive equitable medical care.
Recognitions
Dr. Killebrew was honored for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Faculty at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine in 2014. She has also earned a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the Permanente Medical Group in 2010, a commendation for contributing to women and heart disease from the State Assembly of California in 2005, and the Lowell Beal Award from the House Staff Association in 1992. She advises young doctors to continue to pursue their passions, expressing that “The forefront should be the patient. Patient care is all that really matters.”
