Ryan McDonough graduated with a
Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree at the
United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 2001. He initially pursued military intelligence before studying medicine. He graduated from
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine with a medical degree in 2007. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the
Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington before completing a Cardiology Fellowship at the
Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. He completed an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship in 2014 at
Duke University in North Carolina. He served as chief of cardiology services at both
William Beaumont Army Medical Center in Texas and
Weatherby Locums in Florida. In 2019, he joined the
Alaska Heart & Vascular Institute. McDonough worked as an
interventional cardiologist at the
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and
Mat-Su Medical Group. In August 2025, Alaska governor
Mike Dunleavy appointed McDonough to the
Alaska State Medical Board. While on the board, McDonough voted in favor of classifying
transgender health care for minors as "unprofessional conduct" and restricting such medical care. Additionally, he voted to advance a measure to allow the board to punish physicians that provide transgender health care. He participated in multiple deliberations of malpractice allegations against other Alaska physicians. He also voted to recommend that lawmakers end
legal access to abortion during late stages of pregnancy in Alaska. McDonough attended the Alaska State Medical Board meetings in August and September 2025 but was not present for the October and November meetings. He resigned from the board in November 2025 but did not provide a reason for his resignation. ==Personal life==