Her early life and family
Dr. Fitzgerald was born in Boston on Sept. 24, 1943, and “knew from early childhood that she would be a physician,” according to her biography on Changing the Face of Medicine.
She completed undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She graduated from the University of California, San Francisco, in 1969 and completed her residency in internal medicine at the same institution. In addition to teaching at UC Davis, Dr. Fitzgerald served as assistant professor of medicine at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, for 2 years early in her career.
Dr. Fitzgerald is survived by her brother, Sean, and sister-in-law, Deborah Fitzgerald. Dr. Fitzgerald lived with and cared for her mother, Irene Fitzgerald – who passed away in 2005 – for more than a decade.
Dr. Fitzgerald asked for any donations in her memory to be used to establish scholarships for medical students with financial need, as she had been supported by scholarship money long ago while a student at the University of California. Donations to the Faith Fitzgerald, MD, Medical Student Scholarship Fund can be made here.