Bio

At The Portland Clinic, I provide primary care on a same-day basis to offer scheduling flexibility for patients and to support my primary care colleagues. As a physician, my role is to be a trusted advisor, as ultimately patients play the most important role in their good health. I’m a firm believer in the use of information technology to gather the right information and make the best decisions. That said, I feel that good listening is our best tool for making careful, thoughtful recommendations. I am a big fan of tracking patients’ progress, making incremental changes and checking back frequently.

I was born and raised in the idyllic college town of Decorah, Iowa, and earned my undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in health and wellness administration at the University of Iowa. I completed my medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, and my internal medicine residency at Providence Portland Medical Center. It was a visit to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 that changed my plans from an East Coast to a West Coast life, and it’s truly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I have loved and lived in Portland for more than 20 years.

Prior to joining The Portland Clinic, my career focused on information systems. I spent a decade working on electronic medical records and information sharing, and I served as Oregon’s first health information technology coordinator during the Kulongoski Administration. In addition to my current work at the clinic, I also work with residents in the Legacy Internal Medicine Residency Program.

On a personal level, I espouse the Midwestern sensibilities of practicality, hard work and common sense. I love to travel, and I make exercise (of the non-extreme variety) a part of my daily life. 

Please note: Dr. Pettit sees patients on a same-day basis and can’t be selected as a primary care provider.