Catherine Bargovan, PA-C, is a certified physician associate at Providence Physiatry Clinic-East. With prior experience as a physical therapist and in urgent care, she employs all her knowledge to help patients optimize their function and quality of life. Her most important roles, she believes, are as a teammate and an advocate. “My emphasis is on open and honest communication, mutual respect, self-reflection and humility,” says Catherine. “I collaborate with my patients when discussing treatment options and keep their goals in mind when making medical recommendations.” A graduate of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., she completed her master’s in physician assistant studies at Wayne State University in Detroit.