Accepting new patients

Ronan Swords, MD., Ph.D., FRCPI, FRCPath

Accepting new patients

  • Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, School of Medicine

Expertise

  • Cancer

Special focus

  • Hematologic Malignancies
  • Hematology
  • Leukemia
  • Oncology

Locations and contact

I see patients at

About me

Dr. Swords received his medical degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 2000. He completed fellowship training in hematology with the Royal College of Pathology, London (2008). He then pursed additional fellowship training in experimental therapeutics at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, followed by his PhD thesis which focused on post translational modification pathways in AML. In 2012, he joined the University of Miami to lead the adult leukemia program at that institution. In 2018, he moved to AbbVie Pharmaceuticals as a medical director, where he supported the development of venetoclax in myeloid malignancies.

Dr. Swords is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (FRCPI) and the Royal College of Pathologists London (FRCPath). He has published over 150 peer reviewed manuscripts and abstracts in the area of myeloid neoplasia and thematically, his publications focus on translational science and early phase clinical trials for these diseases. He has given oral presentations at local and international meetings including the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the European Hematology Association (EHA) relating to AML therapeutics. He also serves as an editor for Leukemia Research Reports as well as a manuscript reviewer for a number of high impact factor journals including Blood and Leukemia. He has received funding from private foundations, pharma, and the NCI, to conduct investigator initiated projects in his field of investigation.

Dr. Swords has always been fascinated by hematology as a medical specialty. The unique integration between the laboratory and the clinic was a key factor in his decision to be a hematologist. Currently, he specializes in treating patients with blood cancers. The main goal of his research is to develop better drugs for patients with leukemia and related diseases. As a native Irishman, he enjoys going home to visit his family and friends. In his spare time, he likes to read and play piano (fun fact: he supported himself through medical school by teaching kids to play piano!).

Education and training

  • Degrees

    • M.D., 2000, National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG)
    • Ph.D., 2012, National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG)

  • Residency

    • General Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), 2002, (MRCPI)

  • Fellowship

    • Hematology, Royal College of Pathologists, London, UK (FRCPath), 2008
    • Experimental Therapeutics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio (UTHSCSA), 2009
    • General Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (FRCPI), 2011

  • Certifications

    • General Internal Medicine, RCPI, 2002
    • Hematology, FRCPath, 2008

Memberships and associations:

  • Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), member, November 2002
  • Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), fellow, November 2011
  • Royal College of Pathologists London UK (RCPath), fellow, November 2007
  • Haematology Association of Ireland (HAI), member, December 2003
  • American Society of Hematology (ASH), member, November 2010
  • South West Oncology Group (SWOG), member, March 2009
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), member, April 2010
  • Developmental Therapeutics Consortium (DTC), member, June 2010
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Insurance

Before scheduling your appointment, we recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the OHSU Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any copayments, co–insurance, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with OHSU providers, your out of pocket liability may be higher. Visit the billing and insurance section of our site for more information.

Ratings and reviews

Overall: 4.9 out of 5 (194 Ratings, 83 Reviews)

The patient ratings score is an average of all responses to the question "How likely would you be to recommend this provider to your family and friends (on a scale of 0 to 10)" on our nationally-recognized NRC patient surveys.

  1. Dr. Swords is very professional and competent. Establish good repour with his patient .

  2. Dr Swords is really easy to talk to I like him as my doctor very much

  3. I am privileged to receive televisits with Dr. Swords. I live in rural Oregon with limited access to quality, expert medical professionals such as Dr. Swords. I appreciate him and recognize his healing gifts. He is knowledgeable, informed, compassionate, kind and listens to me. He makes the patient an equal partner in discussing treatment options. He takes time to clearly answer and explain any questions or concerns I have. I look forward to my visits with him; which is a first for me with medical appointments. Thank you, Dr. Swords, you are a blessing.

  4. Yes, my experience with Ronan's ward was just excellent. He was very, very considerate, very good at explaining all that with my condition. And I was surprised his patience and his thoroughness were so good. And I'm sure he does this all the time. And it was really wonderful for him to spend that time with us.

  5. Dr. Swords is very knowledgeable and always has a positive attitude.He answers all your questions in a clear and concise manner. He also has a wonderful staff.

  6. Dr Swords is very professional and caring.

  7. Dr Swords listened to my husband and responded to his health concerns and prescribed medication. He welcomed questions and answered in a way that we understood.

  8. Dr Swords was very thorough and attentive to my questions and concerns. He took the time to explain my current diagnosis and what to expect going forward. He has a friendly demeanor and I felt confident being in his care.

  9. He is always very kind and does not make us feel rushed. Answers all questions we have. He seems as happy as I am for me to be in remission for 2 years. Also has a great kind nurse.

  10. I thought Dr. Swords was very good at listening to what I had and about my concerns and he offered me several choices of treatments and I liked him very much.

  11. Dr. Swords is awesome. He listens to me and explains things very well.

  12. very good

  13. Dr. Swords was on time and focused, while also being very personable. He instilled a lot of trust and confidence by being prepared for my appointment. He knew all about my diagnosis and plans for treatment without having to refer to notes. Sometimes, health care providers aren't good listeners, but he listened carefully and gave thorough answers.

  14. Dr Swords is the best. He listens and explaines things so I can underdstand. He takes time to help.

  15. Dr.Swords explained everything in a manner where it was easy to understand my concerns. He was verycourteous, polite and caring. I am fortunate to him as my Doctor.

  16. Good listener, answers questions clearly and directly

  17. We had a great experience on the phone.

  18. Very professional and showed concern about my situation.

  19. Dr. Swords, Ashley, and the whole crew are always so pleasant to work with. They are thorough and answer all my questions. I feel very well cared for.

  20. It was my second virtual visit with Dr. Swords. I trust his advice and share it with my Hematologist in Medford. I came away feeling very confident about my treatment plan. I speak with Dr. Swords again in four or five months.

  21. I find that Dr. Swords and his team are professional, and very responsive to my needs.

  22. It was great.

  23. Dr. Swords was wonderful. He gave us hope. I can't say enough of how wonderful my experience with him has been.

  24. Very knowledgeable and concise.

  25. Hi. In regards to my evaluation of Dr. Swords, he is very well informed and at the same time is able to communicate that to patients no matter what their level of understanding of any particular disease, and I really appreciate that. He's knowledgeable and compassionate.

  26. Very attentive and always listens.

  27. My provider at OHSU has changed since he came to Portland. He's a good oncologist, hematologist, and I don't think he had much opportunity to improve that yet, but his patient relations, his bedside manner, his understanding have all skyrocketed since he came to Portland.

  28. He was kind and answered all our questions.

  29. My visit was positive, my questions were answered. Dr Swords, the RN and scribe were all attentive and personable. I was updated on my condition and the treatment.

  30. It was excellent. He explained things in terms we could understand

  31. Dr. Swords and his team are always on time, informative, and willing to answer any questions I have.Also, building 2 on Bond St. is easy to navigate and has good parking. The people are always helpful and friendly.

  32. Excellent provider. Very efficient and helpful team.

  33. Excellent Listened to us. Answered our questions. Was prepared for me on this visit

  34. Dr Swords explains everything thoroughly

  35. He takes time with you. Explains things in detail. Best doctor ever.

  36. Patient, caring, listens, soothing

  37. Dr. Swords and colleagues are professional, knowledgeable, and take time to answer my questions. Every person I interact with at OHSU is friendly and competent and professional.

  38. Always a pleasure to speak with Dr Swords. He listens and is willing to have conversations as well as being open to thoughts and suggestions. He has collaborated with our local Dr and we know we are getting the best care available.

  39. His experience at his job is well demonstrated as well as his compassion for the patient. Mannerisms not always seen today

  40. Excellent physician. Has taken good care of me with my unique needs.

  41. He explains thing in a way that I can understand and is very compassionate

  42. We have an excellent rapport

  43. It is very personable and explains things well.

  44. It was a very good experience.

  45. My experience with Dr. Swords was absolutely positive. He reached me at the time he decided and knew about the case well. He had looked up many things from my chart and I felt that he was as knowledgeable as my own doctor here in Medford. He was kind, he obviously knew a lot about what was going on, and was certainly very present in the whole situation. I couldn't recommend anyone more highly than he and I'm pleased that he was recommended by my own doctor here in Medford who has *

  46. Very thoughtful and centered on my concerns

  47. Wonderful - very informative and caring.

  48. Dr. Sword and his team were very courteous, caring and very thoroughIn explaining things in a very simple manner that are easy to understand.I am so happy that I was referred to him. I know that I am without a doubt in good hands.

  49. Seams to be very knowledgeable in the field of endocrinology

  50. Swords was timely, organized and clear in explaining issues with the diagnosis. He was attentive to our queries and exhibited empathy.

  51. Dr Swords listens and remembers details. He is very calm and willing to explain details thoroughly. We really appreciate his demeanor.

  52. Very informative. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.The doctor explained everything very well and took the time to answer any questions I had

  53. I was glad to talk to him,and he was very positive about my treatment.

  54. Very satisfied with his... with his work with me.

  55. He is so kind and caring and the kind of doctor everyone wants to have. He gave me back my life with his new medication so you know I think he's the greatest. He makes sure I get it every month. I like how he has his staff stay on top of Mychart so that I get all my questions answered.

  56. Felt confident and trusting in his explaining everything about what was happening in my situation and how he believed in a very good outcome. So Blessed and thankful

  57. The visit was timely and informative. I felt that I had enough time to answer the provider's questions, and was listened to. A nurse and a scribe were documenting the information, which allowed the provider to focus on the conversation. I appreciate the professional care and information that I received.

  58. Very knowledgeable and extremely empathetic…terrific doctor!

  59. The doctor is wonderful. However, the appointment never happened for a reason we don't know. It was to been a phone appointment. So there is no reason to answer any of the questions, other than the fact that the doctor himself is excellent. Thank you very much.

  60. He is very caring. He stays on top of my lab results, and adjusts my medicine accordingly. And, he can take a little kidding.

  61. He was knowledgeable about my health history. He asked about my current health, and gave me concrete info about my treatment plan. He was very caring and personable.

  62. Dr Storms was thorough, friendly and made me feel very comfortable. He answered all my questions and was very straightforward

  63. Dr Swords is very compassionate and I trust his care completely.

  64. Dr. Swords was very understanding and compasionate......

  65. He's very responsive. I never feel rushed. He answers all my questions.