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Dr Victoria Coffey (16 September 1911- 15 June 1999) was an Irish born pediatrician who has an interest in the area of congenital abnormalities in infants, an understudied area of pediatrics during her time. She is known as one of the first female pediatrician in Ireland, pioneered the study of metabolic disorders in newborn and performed one of the early studies of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Life and career

Early life and education

Coffey was born in Dublin, at 108 Brunswick Street on 16 September 1911 to John Coffrey, a weigh master, and Ellie Coffrey. Her paternal grandfather, William Coffrey, was a lord mayor of Dublin in 1909-10. She was educated at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and graduated with the licentiate degree and the degree in midwifery of the conjoint board of the royal colleges in 1936. In 1943, she took the diploma in children's health of the RCSI.

Career

Coffey's first house position was as a surgeon at Meath hospital, working alongside Tom Lane, Oliver St John Gogarty, Henry Stokes and Robert Collis. She also worked as a clinical clerk at Coombe's Hospital for women before being appointed medical officer in charge of children at St Kevin's Hospital in 1943.