Dr. Heather Friend has lived in the Rogue Valley for most of her life. She has enjoyed serving the community as part of the medical field since she was a teen. At age 15 Dr. Friend received a cancer diagnosis which sparked her interest in providing sound medical are, and her ultimate desire to help others. She began her professional journey as a phlebotomist while she was still in high school. She followed her passion and continued her medical education, becoming an RN in 2005. She worked as a local emergency department RN and as a forensic sexual assault nurse examiner for the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response team for many years.
Throughout her RN experience, Dr. Friend witnessed countless chronically ill people with poor or nonexistent primary care, lacking focus on wellness or addressing root causes of their conditions. This motivated Dr. Friend to pursue both a Master of Science in Nursing and Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky. She is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is pursuing ongoing functional medicine training which she incorporates into her primary care practice as she learns new skills. Dr. Friend has been practicing as a primary care family nurse practitioner since 2018. She comes to Complete Care from the La Clinica Wellness Center and Acute Care Clinic. She has a special interest in holistic and integrative medicine where treating the entire person, not just a symptom, is a priority. She utilizes a team approach with her patients to provide them with the support, encouragement, education, and tools needed to improve lives and overall health outcomes, no matter the stage of life.
Dr. Friend lives on a 5-acre hobby farm in rural Jackson County with various animals and bees. She has been happily married since 2001 and has three children, whom she adores. In her off time, she enjoys time with her family, outdoor activities, learning new farm self-sufficiency skills (like harvesting honey), creating things, and attending concerts.