Dr. Anna Robertson: Children Growing Into Strong Adults

Dr. Anna Robertson, DO, FAAP, compares her pediatrics practice to the work of an arborist. “It’s easier to bend and train a tree to grow in a certain direction when it’s still young, so it is beautiful and strong,” she says. “It’s the same thing with kids. You can really make a change in individuals’ futures by being involved in their care and growth as children.”

Born in Soviet Russia, Anna and her family moved to New York City when she was seven years old, fleeing the dangerous chaos surrounding the crumbling of the Iron Curtain. Overcoming the family’s difficult start and limited resources, Anna attended college in Manhattan. She initially considered a career in interior design, but a human anatomy class radically redirected her interests. The idiosyncrasies of the body intrigued her and challenged her to pursue medicine. Upon completing medical school in Long Island, Anna obtained a residency in Los Angeles. There she met her future husband, Ryan. The couple married and, after a stint in Humboldt, CA, settled in nearby Chico, where Anna began working at Enloe Hospital and Chico Pediatrics in 2017.

Moving from bustling New York City to rural northern California might seem like an unlikely change, but Anna loves the untainted outdoors. Her passion comes with an incurable habit of picking up litter. “I bring a bag with me wherever I go because I can’t relax or enjoy myself until any trash is cleaned up,” she says. She laughingly says Ryan has resigned himself to the fact that a day at the beach or a walk in the park will involve litter patrol. “He thinks the problem is beyond fixing, but I think, ‘At least it’s fixed right here,’” Anna says.

Anna’s perspective on picking up litter mirrors her perspective as a physician. Like litter, illnesses negatively impact many more people than Anna can help, so she focuses on making a difference for each of her patients, ages 0-18, and their parents. She enjoys counseling parents with age-specific tips for keeping kids healthy. She explains how tactics like quieting children with snacks, for example, can teach them to seek comfort in food, setting up habits that can contribute to obesity and heart disease. “The seeds of most health problems are planted in childhood,” Anna says, and having the opportunity to help families avoid lifelong health struggles makes pediatrics exciting and purposeful for her.

In April 2019, the birth of Emma, Ryan and Anna’s daughter, made pediatrics even more meaningful to Anna. “Before, I was able to relate to the kid,” Anna explains. “I could picture myself in the child’s shoes. Now, I picture myself in the mom’s shoes too.”

Sandra Bernstein, RN, director of the Nettleton Mother & Baby Care Center at Enloe, has enjoyed seeing how motherhood positively affects Anna’s approach. But, she says, “Anna has always been very collaborative, open, and transparent.” Anna once had to treat Sandra’s son. “Anna made me feel at ease and did a really good job explaining what she was thinking so that I felt comfortable with her decisions,” Sandra says. “And she got down to my son’s level, explained things to him, and made him feel comfortable.”

Sandra continues, “Anna works really well with the nurses and makes them feel like it’s a team effort.” Mollee Rice, Anna’s medical assistant at Chico Pediatrics, agrees. “Anna puts herself on the same level as you, and she explains things super well,” says Mollee. “She always wants to teach so you understand. She builds a good bond with patients and parents by setting aside the doctor and getting on a personal level. She goes above and beyond for everyone.”

Being able to set aside the doctor demonstrates Anna’s humility, which comes from her faith. She says, “God gave me this life and the opportunity to become a doctor. Whatever I’m here to do, I’m doing for God. It’s not about me; it’s about the kids. It’s a lot easier to make decisions when you think about yourself less and think more about the people around you.” This perspective helps Anna manage the stress of being a full-time mother and doctor, and motivates her to continue serving families in the community with care that promotes lifelong health. “It’s like planting a seed,” she says, “What kind of tree will this be?” Under Anna’s care, the future promises a veritable forest of strong, healthy bodies in the North State.

The mission of our be the change column is to feature community members from the North State who are actively making a difference in community life. If you would like to nominate someone who is making a difference, please write to pn@northstateparent.com.