Who are you and what do you do?
Hi, my name is Dr. Dana Petersen. I’m a pediatrician with a special interest in behavioral pediatrics. I completed my undergraduate studies and medical school at UC Davis, and then went on to complete my residency at Seattle Children’s Hospital through the University of Washington in 1983.
Following residency, I went directly into practice in Olympia, Washington, where I was a founding member of Olympia Pediatrics. I practiced there as a general pediatrician for over 40 years, caring for patients from newborn through young adulthood. I also served as clinical faculty at the University of Washington during that time.
I recently semi-retired at the end of 2024 and have since been working part-time as a locum tenens provider, helping cover for pediatricians on leave. More recently, I’ve been focusing on behavioral pediatrics and am now working in clinics at Plumas District Hospital and Plumas Rural Health Center. I’m licensed in both California and Washington, and I’m currently living in Quincy—my wife’s hometown.
How did you first hear about Quincy and Plumas District Hospital?
My wife was born here and lived in Quincy from age three through high school. We met while she was in law school and I was in medical school, and I’ve been coming to Quincy for about 50 years now. I’ve always really liked it here. It has a unique feel—almost like an alpine village—where people know each other and take responsibility for one another.
What is something you and your family enjoy about the Quincy area?
Quincy has a lot to offer. It’s a beautiful natural setting, but what I appreciate most is the sense of community. People genuinely look out for each other, which is something you don’t always see in larger towns.
What is your practice, and how would you describe it to the everyday person?
I’m a general pediatrician with a strong focus on behavioral health. At Plumas District Hospital, I provide consultations for primary care providers on pediatric behavioral health concerns.
This includes working with conditions like ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges in younger children. My role is to help support both providers and families in navigating these concerns and finding effective ways to help kids thrive.
What drew you to the field of medicine and specifically pediatric behavioral health?
My original goal was to become a teacher. During my student teaching, I realized I really enjoyed working one-on-one with kids rather than in a group setting. That experience led me to pursue medicine with the goal of becoming a pediatrician.
Over time, behavioral health became a larger part of my practice. I found it especially rewarding to work with adolescents, helping them navigate challenges and seeing real improvement. That ability to make a meaningful difference in a young person’s life is what drew me deeper into this area.
What are you looking forward to about your work at Plumas District Hospital?
I really enjoy the challenge of listening carefully to patients and understanding their concerns, then working together to find helpful solutions. Behavioral health offers a lot of opportunity to improve the lives of children and adolescents, and I’m looking forward to continuing that work here.
Over the course of my career, I’ve seen a significant increase in behavioral health needs. Early on, maybe 10% of consultations were behavioral health-related. By the time I stepped back from full-time practice, that number had grown to 30–40%, especially among teenagers experiencing anxiety.
There’s been a clear rise in anxiety and depression among adolescents, even if we don’t fully understand all the reasons why. My goal is simply to help—to listen carefully, understand each individual’s needs, and offer thoughtful guidance. That process of listening and supporting is really at the core of what I do.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about joining the PDH team and being part of the community?
One of the things I’ve noticed in Quincy is how much people look out for each other, and I see that same sense of responsibility reflected at Plumas District Hospital. The team here genuinely cares about the community and about each individual patient, and that makes it a very enjoyable place to work.
I also appreciate the kindness and patience I see in the community—it feels different from a larger city. Having spent many years in Olympia, which has more of a city feel, I really value the contrast Quincy offers. It truly feels like a close-knit village, and that’s a big part of why my wife and I chose to make a home here.