18 Facts About Doris Howell

Doris Howell was an American physician who specialized in pediatric oncology.

Doris Howell became known as the "mother of hospice," for her pioneering work in palliative care.

Doris Howell was born prematurely, and was placed in a "shoebox, in my Institutions Medical College of Pennsylvania Duke University School of Medicine Harvard Medical School grandmother's home on the top shelf of the old kitchen stove,".

Doris Howell's father died when she was two years old.

Doris Howell moved to McGill University for her graduate studies, where she studied medicine.

Doris Howell originally thought that she would train in psychiatry, but changed her mind after a bad experience on a ward.

Doris Howell moved to Children's Memorial Hospital to complete an internship in pediatric medicine.

In 1955, Doris Howell joined the faculty at the Duke University School of Medicine.

Doris Howell worked with pediatric cancer patients, and was hired as a pediatric oncologist.

At Duke, Doris Howell was celebrated for her teaching, receiving the Distinguished Award for Teaching twice.

Doris Howell moved to the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1970.

Doris Howell eventually moved to the Association of American Medical Colleges, where she spent a year before getting a call from the chair in Pediatrics at University of California, San Diego.

Doris Howell encouraged her to move to San Diego and take up the role of Associate Head of department.

Doris Howell ran the Department of Community and Family Medicine.

The department was going through a high rate of staff turnover, and whilst Doris Howell had originally intended to stay for only a year, she ended up staying for five.

Doris Howell was passionate about identifying new ways to support people who were dying and their families.

Doris Howell was critical in the development of The San Diego Hospice and Palliative Care Center, which she founded in 1976.

Doris Howell created training programs for medical students, nurses, physicians and fellows.