Women in Medicine Month: Dr. Kelly Reed

From her earliest days in school, Kansas City University (KCU) alumna, Kelly Reed, DO, excelled in the subject of science. She was fascinated with the complexity of the human body and how rapidly science and medicine progress. The drive to understand the science behind it all led Reed down a path that would eventually save lives.

“I was fortunate to earn a position working as an assistant in the operating room in a local hospital where I would assist with many types of surgeries. It was then I realized I wanted to be a physician in a surgical field,” said Reed. 

Originally from southeast Missouri and receiving her undergraduate education in the Show Me State, the path to KCU was clear. Although she cast a wide net for many medical schools; however, her first interview was with KCU and immediately knew it was a good fit.  

“The school had an excellent reputation, beautiful campus and felt like the right school for me. I was ecstatic to earn a place in the Class of 2012,” Reed explained. 

Since graduating from KCU, Reed has excelled in her career, practicing Mohs micrographic surgery and general dermatology in Gulf Breeze, Florida. One of her proudest accomplishments was securing and completing a fellowship position in Mohs micrographic surgery at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan prior to entering private practice. She looks back on her experiences fondly and credits the training she received there for helping her be confident in her current practice.  

“My training has enabled me to help thousands of patients detect and successfully treat skin cancers as well as treat dermatological diseases, which helps improve patients’ quality of life,” said Reed.  

She explains that dermatology is an excellent field of medicine, as it offers the opportunity to see patients of all ages, learn thousands of diagnoses, perform surgery, and treat cancer. She would like future students planning to enter the field to understand they need to study additional dermatological material when they get the chance. She says they should also join dermatology societies, attend conferences, network and stay focused.  

“For any field that interests you, spending additional time deepening your education on the subject and making personal connections with professionals and colleagues in the field can better help you reach your goals,” Dr. Reed explains.  

Reed also spends her time volunteering within her community at various events. She performs free skin cancer screenings, as she believes it is important for members of the community to have access to a potentially lifesaving screening. She has found many skin cancers while volunteering at screenings, many which may have gone undetected otherwise.