Dr. McKeen received a Doctor of Medicine in 1992 and completed anesthesia postgraduate training in 1997, both at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She then moved to Halifax to complete an advanced clinical/research fellowship in Obstetric Anesthesia in Dalhousie University at the IWK Health Centre in 2000. Her last degree was in graduate studies in 2004 where she attained an M.Sc. in clinical epidemiology, also here at Memorial.

After completing her fellowship, she stayed in N.S. for 23 years. During this time she was an Anesthesia Associate Program Director, a Medical Director of Research, and Chief of the IWK Women’s and Obstetric Department of Anesthesia.

In addition to her medical education roles and Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded research career, she serves in national leadership roles including Past-President of the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society. She currently sits on the AFMC Board of Directors, is a Royal College Applied Examinations Board member, a Royal College Residency Accreditation Surveyor and is the past Chairwoman of the Royal College Awards Committee. She is also a Canadian Certified Physician Executive.

In September 2021, Dr. McKeen returned home to Newfoundland and Labrador and her alma mater, Memorial University, to become the Vice Dean of Education and Faculty Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. She is a full Professor of Anesthesia and as of August 1st, 2023, is the Dean of Medicine. She is the first Memorial medical school graduate to serve as Dean.