Douglas, or Doug, Girod earned his bachelors in chemistry from the University of California-Davis and his medical degree from the University of California-San Francisco. After completing his residency and a National Institute of Health research fellowship at the University of Washington-Seattle, Girod served as vice chairman and research director in the Department of Otolarygology (surgical and medical management for issues with the head and neck) at the Naval Medical Center in Oakland, CA.

Girod served with the U.S. Navy Reserve starting in 1982, eventually earning the rank of lieutenant commander and being awarded a Meritorious Service Medal.

Girod joined the University of Kansas Medical Center faculty in 1994, becoming chair of the otolaryngology department in 2002. In 2013 he was named executive vice chancellor of the University of Kansas Medical Center, and in 2017 he was named 18th chancellor of the University of Kansas. His tenure as chancellor has been noteworthy particularly for navigating the COVID-19 global pandemic.