Although Dr. Peterson has moved around, he has always known where he would call home.

"I grew up about 20 miles south of Havana, Illinois. Even though I have lived in bigger cities throughout the Midwest for my education, I always considered myself a 'small town kid,' Dr. Peterson said. "I knew I would end up back in rural Illinois, somewhere fairly close to home. There is something comforting about a small town to me. I couldn't imagine raising a family in any other setting."

Dr. Peterson was also sure about his calling.

"I always felt like Family Medicine was a great fit for me. Especially in a small community, I really feel like it allows me to be somewhat of an extended family member when I am helping to manage the care of multiple generations of a family," Dr. Peterson said. "It also is rewarding because of the variety of cases you can see in even a day."

He practices a team-based approach to patient care and feels the patient's overall quality of life is important for their health. "My job as the physician on the team is to make recommendations based on the evidence we have about a patient's ailments."

Dr. Peterson is married to Dr. Hayley Ralph. They have one daughter.