Ryan Cate, P.A.

Ryan is a primary provider for families accepting new patients. He loves to take care of parents and their children.  He is the Director of Information Technology at Sherwood Family Medicine. He’s currently working on introducing a web based medical home for SFM patients in 2012 where patients will be able to have access to some of their own medical information via a secure and HIPPA compliant web link.

Patients describe Ryan as:  experienced, confident, very knowledgeable on the latest research, has a great sense of humor, and very thorough.  Nearly all his new patients are referrals from his patients here who say, "you've got to see Ryan." 

Ryan has been a primary care provider for 9 years.  He provides care for men, women and children. For 10 years, he directed a youth camp outside of Bend and thus, has a strong emphasis working with children and adolescents. He focuses in the care and treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. He is so knowlegeable about cholesterol that he is pursuing a certifcation to become a Lipidologist in 2012.  In Portland, there are only several Lipidologist (a provider who is an expert in cholesterol management). Diabetics at our clinic will all have the opportunity to work with a clinician who has focused for years on this chronic condition. Ryan has received advance training and has experience with the use of specialized testing for cardiovascular disease with measurements of lipo-protein and arterial inflammation profiles.  He also enjoys nutritional counseling and uses advance testing for micronutrients to educate patients about their underlying genetics and nutritional deficiencies that are causing their disease.

Ryan enjoys treating the whole family. “Growing up I was blessed with a good family physician that took care of my whole family, including my parents and grandparents. This positive experience guided me down the path to family medicine.” Ryan is known for his sense of humor and the quality time he takes with his patients. “Laughter often makes going to a provider more comfortable. I love to educate patients and enable them to make the best decisions for their health care.”

Ryan received his Bachelors of Science degree at Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon. After graduating, he and his wife moved to Colorado where he did clinical research at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver. He was later accepted to the OHSU Physician Assistant Program, focusing his studies in family medicine. He is board certified to practice family medicine and has been practicing for over 7 years in family practice.

Ryan has been married for the last 13 years to his high school sweetheart and has two very active boys. He enjoys camping in the summers and snowshoeing and skiing in the winter months. When not running after his boys, he runs for fun and exercise. He completed his first Marathon in 2009 and has participated in the Hood to Coast race for several years. Feel free to talk about sports with Ryan because no one else will in the clinic.  He has requested sports illustrated in the waiting room, we’re considering it.

What is a Physician Assistant (PA)?  

A physician assistant is concerned with preventing, maintaining, and treating human illness and injury by providing a broad range of health care services that were traditionally performed by a physician or medical practitioner. Physician assistants conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, give medical orders and write prescriptions same as any other primary care provider. 

Physician assistants receive several years of extensive post graduate training in certfied and competitive physician assistant training programs. Physician assistants work in hospitals, clinics, and other types of health facilities, and exercise autonomy in medical decision making as determined by their supervising physician, surgeon or medical practitioner. Physician assistants are not to be confused with medical assistants, who perform administrative and simple clinical tasks with limited postsecondary education under the direct supervision of physicians and other health professionals, or nursing assistants.

In the United States, the profession is represented by the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Click this link from the AAPA to learn more about physician assistants.