Allen Ruan, MD, FAAP

Q&A:  Get to know Dr. Allen Ruan, pediatrician

Where did you live while growing up?

I was born in China, where I lived until I was five years old. My father came to the United States to obtain his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado-Boulder. From there, we moved around a little bit in Colorado, a few places in Boulder, up to Fort Collins, then finally to Longmont for middle and high school. I graduated from Niwot High School in 2006.

At what moment did you know you wanted to practice medicine?

I have wanted to be a pediatrician since high school. I love working with children, and medicine was, and is, an enormous and wonderful field of study.

What is the most inspiring part of your job as a pediatrician?

I love watching children grow up. They learn so many new skills and become bright young adults. It is an honor to help parents shepherd them through that process. When there are bumps in the road, I take seriously my role in assisting parents in making the best choice for their family and their child, whether it is active monitoring, medical treatment, or referral.

What do you think are the best skills you bring to your practice?

Going through medical school, we studied hard to learn about the body, mind, and what to do when things go wrong. However, one of the biggest lessons I learned was how to listen to young patients and their parents. The hardest part in medicine is making the diagnosis. This process does not entail simply checking boxes, as computers are wont to do. It means obtaining a thorough history and a focused physical exam before determining further testing and treatment options. Particularly in pediatrics, where so many of the symptoms of the disease are observed at home, I highly value the skill of listening closely as a foundation for good medical care.

What is your philosophy of care?

As a complement to the above, after listening to my patients or their parents, I want to make sure that we have a solid working partnership. While I may only see my patients a few times a year, their parents are with them day in and day out. If we want to progress the child’s physical or mental health, we all need to be on the same page. I respect the concerns and priorities of my patients’ families, and I expect that they know we are working toward the same goals.

What do you enjoy in your free time?

Having completed residency, I look forward to having a bit more free time to enjoy. One of the biggest reasons for my family to move back to Colorado after residency training was to get back to the outdoors, into the mountains for camping, backpacking, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing. At home, my wife and I love to cook, garden, and spend time with our son.

Dr. Allen Ruan addresses the full range of pediatrics, including:

• Newborn and well-child preventive care
• Acute sick visits
• Chronic medical conditions such as asthma
• Dermatologic conditions such as acne and warts

• Residency — Baylor Scott & White Health
  4th Year Chief Resident, Junior Faculty
  Temple, TX
  2021

• Residency — Texas A&M College of Medicine, Baylor Scott & White Health
  Pediatrics Residency, Chief Resident
  Temple, TX
  2020

• Medical School — University of Colorado School of Medicine
  Doctor of Medicine
  Aurora, CO
  2017

• Graduate School — Harvard Extension School
  Post-Baccalaureate Program
  Boston, MA
  2011

• Undergraduate — University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences
  Bachelor of Arts: Biological Basis of Behavior
  Philadelphia, PA
  2010