Dr. Kelly Ural earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University-New Orleans Health Sciences Center. After completing her anesthesiology residency at Ochsner Medical Center, she completed a fellowship in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology (ACTA) at the Cleveland Clinic where she was named chief fellow and was named Teaching Fellow of the Year. She returned to Ochsner in 2011 as a staff cardiac anesthesiologist and became the ACTA fellowship program director in 2014. After serving in this role for 5 years, she transitioned to her current role as the anesthesiology residency program director. She is also a senior lecturer for The University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School.
Dr. Ural has an active role in several national professional societies. She is member of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) Scientific Program Committee and the SCA Blood Management Committee. She served as the communications liaison for the SCA Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology special interest group from 2018 to 2022 and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in 2022. She also serves on the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Educational Track Subcommittee on Cardiac Anesthesia as well as the ASA Blood Management Committee. Her scientific interests are in the areas of anticoagulation and blood conservation.