Ingunn Rise Kirkeby graduated as a doctor at the University of Oslo in 1986. She became a specialist in neurology in 1994 and in neurosurgery in 2004. She has worked at the National Hospital since 1988 on a position at the neurosurgical department at Ullevål hospital from 1994 to 1999. She has held a consulting position at the neurosurgical department at the National Hospital since 1999.

She has published a number of scientific articles on neurosurgical subjects in international journals. She is also a sports doctor from the Norwegian Sports Medicine Association 1997 and has written the chapter on head injuries in the book "Sports injuries", which is now also rewritten and translated into American; "Clinical guide to sports injuries". Appointed by the Ministry of Culture as a member of the "Approval Committee for Organized Combat Activity that allows knock-out". Member of the editorial committee of the journal Norsk Idrettsmedisin from 1996.