Our History: 1949 - 1970

1949

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic began in 1949 when Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey, a fifth-generation Texan, decided to return to Texas and to the newly emerging Texas Medical Center. Dr. Kelsey had previously held a prestigious position at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He was impressed by the Mayo Clinic model of combining primary and specialty medical services in one location. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic was the first of its kind in the Houston area to bring specialists, general practitioners, nurses, and other caregivers together as a team to provide the best possible care.

1951

Renowned Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeon William Seybold returned to his native Texas to partner with Mavis Kelsey and a third Mayo Clinic-trained physician, Dr. William Leary. Dr. Seybold met Dr. Kelsey while at The University of Texas Medical School in Galveston. They became close friends while training at the Mayo Clinic. At this time, the practice was called the Kelsey-Leary Clinic.

1953

Dr. Kelsey’s brother, John R. Kelsey, Jr., another Mayo-trained physician and a specialist in Gastroenterology, joined the Kelsey-Leary practice in 1953. Also joining the multispecialty team in the 1950s were a psychiatrist, cardiologist, and rheumatologist. In 1953, Kelsey-Seybold doctors began rotations at area hospitals, including Hermann Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

1956

On December 15, 1956, the Kelsey and Leary Foundation for the Advancement of Medicine was established to provide scholarships and financial support for research. Known today as Kelsey Research Foundation, it's involved in a variety of research projects with universities, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies, and hospitals in the Texas Medical Center. Research areas include cancer, epilepsy, Cardiology, diabetes, and Obstetrics.

1957

On March 6, 1957, the clinic moved into a new building at 6655 Travis with ample space for exam areas, an X-ray room, and laboratory.

1960s

During the 1960s, new specialists and departments were added. The rapidly expanding Radiology department added lab technicians, while the multispecialty team continued to grow with the addition of a pediatrician and otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat specialist). New departments included Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Dermatology, Urology, Ophthalmology, and Dentistry. Dr. William Seybold, who had left the practice for a few years, returned in 1961, and the Kelsey-Leary-Seybold Clinic was established.

1964

In 1964, the clinic moved into new facilities at 6624 Fannin, which later became the site for the 29-story St. Luke’s Tower (now the O’Quinn Medical Tower). Dr. Leary joined the staff of MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1965 and the clinic’s name was changed to Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.

Also in 1964, Dr. Mavis Kelsey hired Agnes (Aggie) Greer as his nurse. She met Dr. Kelsey four years earlier when she worked for Texas Governor William P. Hobby, one of Dr. Kelsey’s patients. Like so many of the original doctors, nurses and support staff, Aggie stayed with Kelsey-Seybold for most of her medical career.

1966

In 1966, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic became the first contract medical service provider for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Dr. Stanton P. Fischer, a pulmonologist, joined the staff a year earlier and assisted in providing executive physical examinations to NASA employees and other contractors.

1970s

Among the many patients who came to Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in the late 60s and 70s were entertainers like Roy Rogers and international patients from Saudi Arabia, India, and Africa. More Latin Americans visited Kelsey-Seybold Clinic than any other U.S. clinic during this period.