Shawn McKinney, M.D., FACS MPH — LSU Health Sciences

Dr. Shawn McKinney, a native of New Orleans, is a fellowship-trained surgical breast specialist who has been in practice for over 20 years. She is currently Professor of Clinical Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Dr. McKinney graduated Magna Cum Laude from Xavier University of LA in 1993 and then went to Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, for medical school and surgical residency. It was in residency that she realized that she loved treating breast patients and continued her education in Dallas, TX, completing a surgical breast fellowship in 2003 at Baylor University.

​After fellowship, she spent 10 years at Marshall University where she began and accredited their Comprehensive Breast Program drawing patients from the tri-state area. She then continued her academic career at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where her focus was on reducing disparities that exist in the African American community surrounding access, education and equitable treatment of breast cancer. While she was practicing full time, she completed a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Health Administration and Policy at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2018.

​Now in her home city she brings her experience and skills to advance breast care across the State to give more equitable options to all patients. As the Vice Chair for Quality and Safety for LSU Department of Surgery, the type of care that patients receive is at the forefront of her mission from diagnosis to survivorship.

She is proficient in providing care for both benign and malignant breast issues with a focus on evidenced based individualized care plans. She regularly works with a multidisciplinary team to deliver the best treatment and takes the time to educate her patients on their disease and available options. She believes patient knowledge and involvement throughout the process is important and that a holistic approach, realizing the interconnectiveness of mental and social factors affecting patients, can strategically impact success.

Her surgical skills include standard mastectomy and hidden scar approaches for both benign and malignant breast disease, sentinel node biopsy as well as standard and targeted axillary dissection. She also regularly performs oncoplastic breast surgeries for select patients as well as skin and nipple sparing mastectomies in preparation for immediate reconstruction. Dr. McKinney began a high-risk clinic which individually evaluates women who may be eligible for imaging earlier than national protocols or who may qualify for genetic testing. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an active member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons participating in several committees, the National Consortium of Breast Centers, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Her research is focused on health disparities and regularly works with the Louisiana Cancer Research Center to find solutions from a basic science perspective as well as providing outreach and education to the community stressing prevention and screening as well as the introduction of clinical trials.

Throughout her career Dr. McKinney has won awards for excellent patient care both from the communities where she resides, as well as the hospitals and departments she has worked. As an academic surgeon, she has always taught the next generation of surgical residents and medical students and has won a Teaching Award for the contributions she has made to their education.