Born in Melbourne, Kenneth Burwood graduated in medicine with first-class honours from the University of Melbourne in 1923. He spent two years as a resident at the Melbourne Hospital, studied for the MD and in December 1924, went to Maryborough in Victoria to enter general practice. He remained there for many years and became medical officer of health for the district. In 1937, he undertook postgraduate training in London and in March 1939, he was successful in the examination for the MRACP – a mark of his determination to maintain a high standard of clinical practice.
He became drawn towards radiology and in 1949, gave up general practice to join the Melbourne Radiology Clinic. The following year saw him acquire the DDR and Membership of the recently founded College of Radiologists of Australasia. Not long afterwards, he was appointed radiologist to the Repatriation Department's outpatient annexe in Caulfield, a post he held for the remainder of his working life. By this time Burwood was living in Brighton, where he remained until his death in 1971.