We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amy B. Killen M.d.. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy B. below.

Amy B., appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I began my medical career as an emergency physician. After medical school, I did an emergency medicine residency and then went to work at a busy, high-acuity emergency department in Austin, Texas. Seven years into that job I had my three kids within two years (twins plus one) and my husband moved out of state for a job. I was the lone caregiver of three kids under age two, working a job that required me to be there at 4 am. I was sleeping 3-4 hours a night, eating garbage, drinking 100+ ounces of Diet Coke and energy drinks daily, and was perpetually stressed out. One day, as I was looking out at a full waiting room of patients waiting to be seen in the emergency department, I realized that if I didn’t make a change, I would be one of those people in 5-10 years – waiting to be seen in an ER for a chronic medical problem that probably could have been prevented with enough education, time, and resources. That was when I decided to leave emergency medicine and focus instead on prevention and health optimization.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a practicing physician, entrepreneur, speaker, and educator in the fields of longevity and regenerative medicine; I specialize in women’s health and helping patients navigate their “Queen Phase,” combining evidence-based interventions such as hormone optimization therapy, advanced peptides, and regenerative (stem cell) therapies with practical lifestyle wisdom in perimenopause and menopause.

I’ve had the honor of speaking on stages around the world on topics ranging from women’s hormone replacement therapy and estrogen as a longevity drug to “sexponential medicine” and the link between sexual health and longevity. I am a content creator (mainly Instagram) working on my first book. I aim to improve access to advanced women’s health modalities by educating midlife women and their doctors in a playful, easily accessible way that bridges the gap between traditional allopathic medicine and integrative medicine.

I have several entrepreneurial ventures as well. I am the co-founder and chief medical officer of Humanaut Health (longevity clinic franchise). I am the founder and CEO of HOPBox.life (a female-focused supplement company). I am on the core team of Reputable. Health – an AI-enabled data aggregator platform that’s reimaging how we conduct clinical studies.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2013, I walked away from a decade of emergency medicine to pursue something that most people couldn’t even comprehend – “proactive” medicine. The decision was met with reactions ranging from bemused laughter to outright disdain. This was before “longevity” had become a household term, when hormone replacement therapy for women was still controversial, and testosterone therapy was relegated to the medical fringe. My fellow ER doctors joked that I was leaving to cast spells with essential oils and crystals. Some colleagues seriously warned me that I would give women breast cancer by prescribing bioidentical estrogen. Others simply dismissed me as a quack.

The transition shook me to my core. My identity had been forged in the crucible of emergency medicine – the adrenaline, the split-second decisions, the undeniable sense of purpose. Now I was trading that certainty for an undefined path in a field that barely existed.

My first venture was a small clinic in downtown Portland, Oregon. Armed with rented space, some second-hand furniture, and overwhelming naïveté, I stepped into the world of private practice. Everything was foreign – purchasing medical equipment, writing prescriptions outside hospital protocols, marketing, billing, patient retention. Without resources for staff, I became a one-woman healthcare system: receptionist, phlebotomist, clinician, and follow-up coordinator all rolled into one. I persevered until eventually selling that practice and relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah, where I would have to rebuild from scratch.

Fascinated by platelet-rich plasma (PRP), I saw immense potential in using the body’s own blood to regenerate skin, stimulate hair growth, and enhance sexual function. After a crash course in aesthetic injections and PRP preparation, I rented a weekly room in a small medspa. Groupon became my patient pipeline, and I spent a year practically giving away procedures to master my craft as an injector.

Then came the pivot that would define my career. In 2014, feeling more confident in my skills, I took a chance and reached out to Dr. Harry Adelson, a pioneer in stem cell therapy. When he agreed to let me observe his procedures, I witnessed something revolutionary. Stem cell therapy was still in its infancy, practiced by only a handful of physicians nationwide. Captivated, I kept returning to his clinic, silently absorbing everything I could from my corner perch. After months of my persistent presence, Dr. Adelson finally said with a smile, “Well, you’re clearly not going away, so maybe you should come work with me.”

That moment launched a decade-long partnership. Together, we’ve transformed countless lives through our “full body stem cell makeover,” treating patients who travel from around the globe. What began as a leap into the unknown has become a pioneering journey in regenerative medicine, validating that sometimes the best path forward is the one that others can’t yet see.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I was taught to be good. And whenever possible, to be perfect.

I got straight A’s through high school, graduated college with a 4.0, ranked in the top 10% of my medical school class, and became Chief Resident in my emergency medicine program. I was very good at being good.

But the problem with almost-perfection is that it traps you. It makes you afraid to take risks, to make mistakes, to try anything that might not work. Perfection breeds hesitation. Hesitation leads to stasis. And stasis? That leads to boredom, frustration, and—ironically—mediocrity.

At some point, I realized that bravery is better than perfection.

When I left the ER to start my second medical career, I found myself stuck in old patterns. I didn’t want to open my first practice until I knew absolutely everything about hormones. I wouldn’t step on stage until I’d memorized every word of my talk. I refused to take a step unless I had the next twenty mapped out.

I had to unlearn perfectionism. I had to get comfortable with taking chances, feeling stupid, and not knowing whether my path would lead somewhere absolutely incredible—or nowhere at all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dramykillen.com
• Instagram: @dr.amybkillen
• Facebook: @dr.amybkillen
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramybkillen/
• Twitter: KillenMD
• Youtube: @dr.amybkillen
• Other: My Companies: www.humanauthealth.com, www.hopbox.life, www.reputable.health

Image Credits

I have the rights to these photos.