I strive to work with you and your child to help them reach their fullest potential for health and wellness. Starting even before birth, I enjoy engaging with new and established families to help mesh their beliefs and values with the latest in child and adolescent development and nutrition. I take a sensitive approach to each visit, and work to empower children to feel comfortable in the exam room. My goal is to practice the latest in evidence based medicine. I also have a special interest in caring for children with chronic medical and mental healthcare conditions and, if needed, connecting families to the best care in the greater Portland community.
Born in New York, NY, Dr. Spencer moved with his family to Portland at age 14, and attended high school locally at Oregon Episcopal School. He loved science so he pursued his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at Colorado College. His interest in medicine came though shared experiences with his mother’s career in nursing and his father’s career as a scientist. For example, after college he joined his father on an international medical team trip to research human diseases in the Pacific Rim. After college, he attended Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) for medical school. Here, he developed a great interest in preventative medicine and also earned a Master of Public Health degree. For him, caring for children was the most meaningful part of medicine and public health, so he chose to do his residency training in pediatrics at the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at OHSU. His first job out of residency took him to Anchorage, Alaska, working with children in the Native Alaskan community at the Southcentral Foundation.
Dr. Spencer practices full spectrum pediatrics, caring for children from birth all the way through college age. He especially values caring for children and families from all different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. Dr. Spencer is board-certified and practices in our Portland office.
Dr. Spencer cares for the environment. He is an active bike commuter and outdoor enthusiast. He enjoys “nerding out” on the latest in environmental science, even doing home science experiments with his children. He wants to help them and all children learn more about the world and how we can work to preserve it.
Dr. Spencer also cares for the community. He is involved in volunteering for local charities, and especially in charity bike rides like that for the American Diabetes Association, American Lung Association and Perthes End It (Legg Calve Perthes is a childhood hip condition).
Dr. Spencer loves playing sports. From soccer to skiing, basketball to biking, football to Frisbee, he plays it all. Throughout his medical training, his love for the game has helped him cultivate his interest in sports medicine.
Family is important to Dr. Spencer. Much of his and his wife’s family live here in Portland. Dr. Spencer’s 2 children (older boy and younger girl) keep him and his wife plenty busy and continue to challenge his “book” knowledge of pediatrics. It is this balance between academic and personal knowledge that he likes to bring to the care of his patients. And even more – he just likes to talk about his family with his patients.
Dr. Spencer loves snow. While he used to focus on back country skiing, he now prides himself on his children’s skiing ability. Both were on skis by 3, and skiing independently by 4 and loving it! You may see him at Timberline – his favorite place to ski on Mount Hood.
Dr. Spencer’s favorite restaurant in Portland is Pambiche, with excellent Cuban food. It is a favorite date spot for him and his wife. Dr. Spencer takes pride in working at PANW because of its forward thinking, excellence in providing a patient centered medical home and strength of providers, nurses and staff that work their very hardest to provide great pediatric care.