Faculty and staff at the Child Health Associate - Physician Assistant Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus comprise a top 10 physician assistant program with a rural track and scholarship programs.

Course Director - PA Role Development

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Education Committee, Physician Assistant Education Association

Certificate, Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program, School of Medicine, Denver CO, 1996; MS Cell Biology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 1989; BS Cellular/Molecular Biology, Ft. Lewis College, Durango CO, 1986.

Ms. Ruff has been on faculty with the CHA/PA Program since 2001.  She began her faculty career as Academic Coordinator, and was promoted to Associate Director-Curriculum in May 2009.   In this role she oversees both the didactic and clinical curricula ensuring that what students learn in these settings is well integrated.  In addition to her administrative duties, she has served as course director for PA Role Development since 2001, enhancing its curriculum through the addition of a service learning project. She functions as a small group facilitator in the Problem Based Clinical Reasoning, Physical Diagnosis, Ethics in the Health Professions and Differential Diagnosis for Physical Therapist courses.  She also serves as a guest lecturer in the Pediatric Clinical Medicine and Women’s Health courses. Her areas of academic interest include community education and student assessment.   Before joining the faculty she worked in family medicine; and now practices clinically at National Jewish Health in the out-patient pediatric clinic where she enjoys treating children with asthma, allergy and food allergies.
 
Ms. Ruff serves as a reviewer for journal articles that focus on clinical topics related to asthma and allergy, as well as topics related to PA education.  She served on a national education committee for four years through the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) and continues to act as a moderator at national presentations. 

Cathleen Ruff, MS, CHA/PA-C, has research interests in pediatric allergy and asthma, service learning, and rural medicine.