[3] Encouraged by her uncle, Trevor Sandy, a general surgeon in Vancouver, she pursued a medical degree and graduated in 1975, at a time when few women entered the field.

McLeod's works on evidence-based medicine and clinical trials resulted in studies that significantly impacted surgical practices, particularly in colorectal surgery and inflammatory bowel disease.

[3][5] McLeod started Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery, a journal study group for North American surgeons.

[2] In 2019, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, in recognition of her influence on medical practice, knowledge translation, and surgical education.

[6] Her daughter had run ten triathlons across Canada to raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease and in support of her mother.