About
Dr. Lorna J. Shanks is a bilingual family medicine physician based in Portland, Oregon. A. in Spanish with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Puget Sound in 2005. She studied abroad in Madrid and Buenos Aires, then spent two years assisting in the radiology department at the University of Washington Medical Center. She began medical school at the University of Washington in 2007. During her training, she traveled to southern India to care for HIV-affected infants and mothers. Her residency in Vancouver, Washington focused on pediatric care, labor and delivery, and outpatient surgical procedures.
Dr. Shanks spent six years at Kaiser Permanente's Rockwood office in southeast Portland, where she cared for a panel of over 1,500 patients, many of them Spanish speakers. She then joined Bridgeport Family Medicine in Tigard, expanding her scope to include gender-affirming care and HIV treatment. Her clinical interests include women's health, menopause and perimenopause, LGBTQIA+ care, weight-inclusive care, and community health. Her path to medicine started early; she grew up in western Colorado accompanying her father, a general surgeon, on hospital rounds. In high school, she raised $3,000 to join Amigos de las Américas and spent seven weeks in Valle, Honduras, helping build water tanks after Hurricane Mitch. That experience shaped her lifelong commitment to community health and the Spanish language. She founded Shanks Primary Care to bring cost-transparent, personalized care to Portland.
Education & Training
Undergraduate
University of Puget Sound, B.A. Spanish (minor in Chemistry), 2005
Medical School
University of Washington School of Medicine (began 2007)
Residency
Family Medicine Residency, Vancouver, WA (focus on pediatric care, labor and delivery, outpatient surgical procedures)
Additional Training
Worked at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle (radiology department) for two years after college
Languages
English, Spanish
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Shanks right for?
Dr. Shanks serves adults and families seeking a primary care physician who takes time to listen and treats a wide range of conditions. Patients managing HIV, hypertension, menopause, or perimenopause benefit from her clinical depth. She is a strong fit for LGBTQIA+ patients and those seeking gender-affirming care or weight-inclusive treatment. Spanish-speaking patients receive care fully in their language. Anyone who wants direct, transparent access to their doctor, including same-day visits and house calls, will find her practice a good match.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Shanks treats a wide range of primary care conditions. Her clinical focus includes HIV, hypertension, gender dysphoria, menopause, perimenopause, and skin conditions such as lesions and warts. She also manages minor wounds, abscesses, and chronic disease in adults and families.
Yes, Dr. Shanks offers gender-affirming care as a core part of her practice. She expanded into this specialty during her time at Bridgeport Family Medicine in Tigard. LGBTQIA+ care and weight-inclusive care are also central to her clinical approach.
Yes, Dr. Shanks is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. She developed her Spanish fluency through her undergraduate major at the University of Puget Sound, study abroad programs in Madrid and Buenos Aires, and years of caring for Spanish-speaking patients at Kaiser Permanente's Rockwood office in Portland.
Dr. Shanks performs a full range of standard office procedures. These include cervical cancer screening, cryotherapy for precancerous skin lesions and warts, incision and drainage of minor abscesses, joint injections, pap smears, skin biopsies, suturing and wound care, and toenail removal. She also manages perimenopause and menopause hormone health.
Yes, Dr. Shanks makes house calls for members who need extended or homebound visits. This is included as part of the monthly membership at Shanks Primary Care. Members can also reach her directly by phone, text, or email.
Dr. Shanks earned her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine, where she began in 2007. She completed her Family Medicine residency in Vancouver, Washington, with a focus on pediatric care, labor and delivery, and outpatient surgical procedures. Before medical school, she spent two years working in the radiology department at the University of Washington Medical Center.
Dr. Shanks prioritizes listening, cost transparency, and thorough attention to each patient. She built Shanks Primary Care around the belief that good medicine requires time and clarity. Her background includes caring for large, diverse patient populations, and she brings that experience to every appointment. Patients consistently describe her as compassionate, unhurried, and highly capable.
Shanks Primary Care maintains a member cap to keep care focused and attentive. Prospective patients can request a free meet-and-greet consultation with Dr. Shanks to learn more before enrolling.
Doctor profile last updated March 22, 2026