Biography

Melissa Kirkwood, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Chief of Surgery’s Division of Vascular Surgery. She joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2011.

Dr. Kirkwood earned her medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine, completed general surgery residency at the University of Chicago Medical Cener, and fellowship training in vascular surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center.

Dr. Kirkwood’s clinical interests include all areas of vascular surgery, as well as endovascular therapies and lower-extremity bypass aimed at treating peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and salvaging limbs.

An international expert in radiation safety, her research interests include radiation dose control, iliac artery aneurysms, simultaneous thoracic and abdominal endovascular aortic repair, and functional outcomes of limb revascularization for PVD.

Dr. Kirkwood has given over 20 international and national plenary talks and 52 regional presentations. She has written 20 first-author, peer-reviewed publications, as well as ten book chapters and nine invited commentaries in Vascular Specialist. She also serves as a reviewer for the Annals of Vascular Surgery.

Dr. Kirkwood was included in D Magazine's Best Doctors list for 2016 - 2022, and was included in D Magazine's Best Doctors in Collin County list for 2021. In 2015, she received the S. Timothy String Award from the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery (SAVS) for best manuscript. In 2016 she received the SVS Women’s Leadership Award. Dr. Kirkwood has served on the SVS post-graduate and leadership committees and was finance chair for the SAVS.

Education

Medical School
Yale University School of Medicine (2004)
Residency
University of Chicago Medical Center (2009), General Surgery
Fellowship
University of Pennsylvania Medical Center (2011), Vascular Surgery

Research Interest

  • Feasibility and safety of simultaneous thoracic and abdominal endovascular aortic repair in multilevel aortic disease
  • Functional Outcomes of limb revascularization for peripheral artery disease using heparin coated conduits
  • Racial and ethnic disparities regarding outcomes following infected aortic graft explants
  • Radiation dose control in complex endovascular cases
  • The natural history and potential enlargement of Iliac Artery Aneurysms following Endovascular aneurysm repair for concomitant AAA

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Honors & Awards

  • D Magazine Top Doctor
    (2016)
  • S. Timothy String Award
    Best Manuscript Presentation at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery (2015)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery Women's Leadership Award
    (2015)
  • Leadership Emerging in Academic Department (LEAD) Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center
    (2014-2015)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American College of Surgeons, Fellow (2013)
  • American College of Surgeons, North Texas Chapter, Vascular Surgery Representative (2013-2017)
  • American College of Surgeons, North Texas Chapter, Women in Surgery Representative (2013-2015)
  • Association of Women Surgeons (2013)
  • Joint Commission (2016)
  • Medical Student Education Research Advisory Committee (2016-2017)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery, Committee on Consensus Guidelines for Radiation Safety (2015-2017)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (2014-2017)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery, Leadership Committee (2015-2017)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery, Post Graduate Committee (2015-2017)
  • Society for Vascular Surgery, Vascular Education and Self-Assessment Program (VESAP3) Radiation Safety Question Writer (2013-2013)
  • Southern Association for Vascular Surgery, Finance Committee (2015-2017)
  • UT PACT surgery Coordinator (2014-2017)
  • UT Southwestern Medical School Admissions Committee (2015-2017)
  • UT Southwestern Mentoring Excellence Program (2015-2016)
  • Vascular Surgery Fellowship (2014-2017)