Today we’d like to introduce you to Gretchen Petterway.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Dr. Gretchen Gillyard Petterway, M.D. “Dr. G”
Pediatrician | Speaker | Founder of All Things Dr. G® and Your Fav Pediatrician
From a scared child fearing for her life to a board-certified pediatrician who now guides women and cares for children, meet Dr. Gretchen Petterway, affectionately known as Dr. G.
Can you imagine a little girl frantically searching for keys in the dark, finding them, and crawling out of a window to escape danger? That was Gretchen’s reality. She lived in hiding, couldn’t tell friends where she was, survived two house fires, and experienced deep humiliation after bleeding through her clothes at school when her period began. If anyone understands Adverse Childhood Experiences, Dr. G does and that’s why she passionately stands in the gap for both our girls and their parents.
Her story didn’t end in trauma. It was transformed by grace. After initially being rejected from medical school, she refused to give up on the calling she felt deep in her heart. Through faith, perseverance, and God’s timing, she was later accepted and went on to become a board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Like her favorite Louisiana dish, gumbo, Dr. G’s life blends many rich and complex ingredients nearly two decades in pediatrics, best-selling authorship, faith-based motivational speaking, teaching, influencing, mentoring, and being a wife and mom who loves to dance and have Nerf-gun battles with her boys.
But behind the smile was once a woman battling low self-esteem, people-pleasing, and the quiet weight of trying to earn love and validation through her achievements. After years of pouring herself out at work while neglecting her own well-being, her body finally said, “Enough.” One day, while caring for patients, she nearly fainted and was hospitalized for dangerously high blood pressure just days before her son’s birthday.
That moment changed everything. In stillness, Dr. G sought God for answers. He revealed that her career had become an idol, overshadowing Him and her family. In a quiet time of worship, God birthed a vision in her heart: “All Things Dr. G® Faith, Family, and Pediatrics.”
She took a leap of faith walking away from what she’d always known to rebuild her life in divine alignment. From that obedience came a new purpose: Puberty, Power, and Purpose for Girls, a groundbreaking program that has now reached hundreds of girls with truth, confidence, and identity rooted in Christ.
And because of her deep love for teaching and her desire to help parents feel confident and equipped, Dr. G launched Your Fav Pediatrician. This online platform delivers trustworthy pediatric education with a warm, relatable touch. Through videos, courses, and social media content, she simplifies complex medical information so families can make informed, faith-aligned decisions for their children’s health and well-being.
Today, Dr. G stands as a living testimony of what happens when we surrender our plans to God. He took her trauma and turned it into triumph, using therapy and faith as tools for her healing. Through All Things Dr. G®, she now helps women and girls around the world rediscover who they are, rebuild their lives, and realign with the One who wrote their story.
Gumbo and Lemonade—that’s Dr. G’s recipe for life, a mix of her Louisiana roots and God’s sweetness through redemption.
Because when Dr. G speaks, she doesn’t just motivate, she ministers. She reminds every woman and girl that God can turn pain into purpose, ashes into beauty, and lemons into lemonade.
Credentials
Certification in Health & Wellness: Designing a Sustainable Nutrition Plan — Harvard Medical School Executive Education (2023)
Certification in Pediatric Leadership — Harvard Medical School (2020)
Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics (2009)
Board Certified, American Board of Pediatrics (2009)
Pediatric Residency, LSU Children’s Hospital (2006–2009)
Doctor of Medicine, LSU School of Medicine – Shreveport (2006)
B.S. in Biology, Grambling State University (1999)
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! it’s been anything but smooth. My journey has been filled with both pain and purpose. I grew up in an environment where safety wasn’t always guaranteed. I can still remember being that little girl frantically searching for keys in the dark, crawling out of a window to escape danger. I lived in hiding, survived two house fires, and experienced deep humiliation at school when I started my period and bled through my clothes. Those moments shaped me more than I realized at the time. They taught me how to survive! But for years, I didn’t know how to heal.
Even as I pursued my dream of becoming a pediatrician, the road wasn’t easy. I didn’t get into medical school on my first attempt. That rejection crushed me but it also ignited something inside me. I decided that failure would not have the final say. With prayer, persistence, and faith, I tried again and was later accepted. That “yes” became one of the greatest turning points in my life.
But even after achieving my dream, I found myself facing another kind of struggle, burnout. Like so many women, I poured myself into work, trying to be everything to everyone. I wanted to prove myself worthy, but along the way, I lost my balance. My body eventually gave out, and I was hospitalized for high blood pressure just days before my son’s birthday. It was a wake-up call that forced me to slow down and listen to God’s voice.
In that quiet space, God showed me that my career had become an idol. I was serving everyone else but neglecting the One who called me. That realization was painful but necessary. It led me to rebuild my life from the inside out, putting faith, family, and purpose back in alignment.
Every obstacle I’ve faced, childhood trauma, rejection, burnout has become part of the message I now share through All Things Dr. G® and Your Fav Pediatrician. I want women and girls to know that God can take what’s broken and make it beautiful again. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been sacred. Every detour was a divine setup for my purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about MOCA Pediatrics, LLC & Dr.GMD Enterprises and Consulting, LLC?
I am a general pediatrician with nearly twenty years of experience. I am currently a full partner at Mid City Pediatrics in Shreveport, LA. I wrote a children’s book called I AM Cool to remind children that they are cool just the way they are. I also created an online program for girls. Puberty, Power, and Purpose for Girls teaches girls about their bodies while also introducing them to the concepts of identity and purpose.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My mantra is, “You have not because you ask not!” It’s important to ask. That’s precisely what I’ve done. I tried to surround myself with environments that encourage and motivate me to strive for excellence.
Pricing:
- I Am Cool Book $11.99.
- Puberty Power Purpose for Girls $297.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.drgretchenpetterway.com & www.drgpediatrics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfavpediatrician
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1SZRkep5iM/
Image Credits
Family photo in outside dressed in black – Brit Elizabeth Photography
