Bret Peterson, MD

About Bret Peterson, MD

Dr. Bret Peterson is a Fort Collins native who returned in 2013 to serve the Northern Colorado, Southern Wyoming, and Western Nebraska communities.  He is an upper extremity specialist, treating injuries and conditions of the fingers, hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow. He has unique interest and expertise in the management of hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow fractures and holds an Orthopaedic Surgery Board-Certification as well as an additional Subspecialty Certificate in Surgery of the Hand.

He grew up predominantly in Fort Collins, graduating from Rocky Mountain High School in 1998. After moving south along the Colorado front range to study music and clarinet performance at the University of Colorado at Boulder, he completed additional pre-medical studies from 1998-2003. His passion for science, music, sports, and humanities to that point coalesced to gain him admittance to the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where he served as class co-president for four years until graduation with his MD in 2007.

His exposure to his own sports injuries as well as an attraction to helping people restore function and alleviate suffering led him to residency training in orthopaedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Residency training at Duke allowed him to learn from some of the world’s foremost thought leaders and orthopaedic surgeons, which then culminated with a final year of subspecialty microvascular and upper extremity fellowship training at the equally prestigious University of Washington in 2013.

His training background included extensive exposure to plastic surgery reconstructive principles and techniques as well as extensive training in pediatric upper extremity problems. He has been involved in multiple research projects, publishing throughout his training and receiving numerous awards as well as leadership training.

Dr. Peterson is passionate about understanding and serving his community, from the simplest of childhood bumps and bruises to complex, traumatic, mangling upper extremity injuries. He treats a spectrum of conditions including carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger fingers, arthritis, trauma, fractures, nerve problems, peripheral vascular conditions, sports injury, tendon and ligament problems, and tumors/masses. He routinely sees workers’ compensation conditions.

His goal is to create a collaborative environment to incorporate patients, their families and other healthcare providers to optimally evolve patient care to ensure best outcomes.  He understands the hand’s importance to work, to play, and to care for loved ones—as well as its relationship to the overall well-being of mind, body and spirit. He values the power of informed, shared decision-making between the provider and patient to arrive at the best solution for the patient, no matter how simple or complex the problem.

Dr. Peterson sees patients in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley, CO, offices assisting people of all ages to regain their health and ability to engage in their favorite sports, recreational pursuits, music performance, or return to work.  He operates in Fort Collins and Loveland at multiple sites.

Outside of OCR, Dr. Peterson may be found training as a Cross-Fitter, hiking, biking, reading, and cultivating interests in music and the arts, while also sharing in the many passions of his wife and three children.