Preventative medicine, fitness and diabetes management are among the most fulfilling facets of working in primary care for Hill City’s Zach Petersen. 

My Role 

I am a Primary Care Physician Assistant at Monument Health Hill City Clinic. I provide annual wellness visits, diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications. More importantly, I act as a counselor, educator and advocate for my patients, helping them manage their health conditions, many times without the aid of specialists. 

My Goal 

My goal is to build trust and ensure access to quality health care for all, regardless of financial or social status. I am dedicated to improving the health and well-being of my patients in the Hill City community. Dr. Terry Graber, who is retiring this year, and I are the face of Hill City medicine, and I do not take that responsibility lightly. 

I really enjoy teaching the next generation of PAs and CNPs.

I had tremendous preceptors when I went through PA school, and I try to pay that forward any chance I get. As the APP field continues with tremendous growth, we all have an obligation to be certain that quality does not suffer. Lastly, I try to be a voice for my fellow APPs. I am one of 11 members on the Monument Health APP council. I will continue to advocate for the issues that matter most to APPs at Monument Health.

My Passion 

Preventive medicine, fitness, teaching and advocacy are my passions. In college as a certified personal trainer and bodybuilder, I found great satisfaction in helping individuals reach their fitness goals through proper nutrition and resistance training. As a cardiovascular and diabetes care specialist with Pfizer and Novo Nordisk, I learned from the top thought leaders in the country. This forged my strong conviction in preventing disease with a sharp focus on aggressive early disease management to improve life span, but more importantly health span. This is how I approach clinical medicine. About 15 percent of my practice is lifestyle medicine focused on prevention, weight loss and exercise. I am humbled by the constant influx of referrals from all over the Black Hills. It is gratifying to witness these huge transformations and the self-confidence that ensues knowing that they are no longer prisoners in their own bodies.