Kathleen Dooley Stokes Paved Her Way as a Pediatrician

    PLANO, TX, June 13, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kathleen Dooley Stokes has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

A native of Rockville Centre, New York, Dr. Stokes aspired to become a doctor at a young age, as she was sick during her infancy and was often cared for by her grandmother. After her grandmother's passing, she recalled the level of care and attentiveness her grandmother received from her doctor, which motivated her to pursue a career in healthcare. She was ultimately able to pursue her dream by volunteering as a nurse's aide at Georgetown University throughout all four years of high school, including two years of service in the operating room where she was eventually appointed as a part-time on-call technician. Dr. Stokes eventually enrolled at Georgetown University, continuing to volunteer faithfully as a nurse's aide at their affiliated hospital for years until she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

After completing her undergraduate education, Dr. Stokes decided she wanted to go to medical school, but lacked the proper guidance, as there had been no doctors in her family. She subsequently approached Dr. Robert Coffey, a surgeon on the staff at the Georgetown University Medical Center, but faced gender discrimination and advised her to get an advanced degree from nursing school to prove that she was serious about becoming a doctor. Continuing to volunteer as a nurse's aide at Georgetown University Medical Center, she furthered her academic efforts at Yale University, from which she earned a Master of Science in psychiatric and mental health nursing in 1966.

Dr. Stokes garnered her first doctorate at the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1979, graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy in sociology with a major in demographic statistics. In 1988, she concluded her formal studies with a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, an achievement she cites as the highlight of her career. Following these educational accomplishments, Dr. Stokes completed a residency program at Cornell Medical Center in New York, a residency program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and a fellowship program in hematology and oncology at Columbia Presbyterian.

By the time she was able to practice in her field, Dr. Stokes was in her forties and many opportunities that she had previously sought were no longer available. Though she had been passionate about surgery, she was inspired to focus her career on the practice of pediatrics. She became renowned for her expertise in hematology and oncology, and eventually established Frisco Pediatrics, PA in Frisco Texas, where she was additionally active as a pediatrician from 1997 until her retirement in 2023. Likewise, Dr. Stokes had been a member of several organizations in relation to the healthcare industry, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Texas Medical Association and the Dallas County Medical Society.

As a testament to her stellar endeavors, Dr. Stokes has accrued several accolades throughout her career. In 1960, she was presented with a Commendation from the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. She was subsequently distinguished as the first board-certified pediatrician in Frisco in 1997. Attributing her success to her passion and her love for her work, she is incredibly proud to have thrived throughout medical school in her youth despite the field having been dominated by men during that time. She also cites her parents as highly influential in her professional development, having supported her education and held her male siblings to the same standards as her. Looking toward the future, Dr. Stokes hopes to remain involved in the field of healthcare in some capacity while aiming to devote her spare time to her wonderful family.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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