Ada Gertrude Paterson (6 June 1880 – 26 August 1937) was a New Zealand school medical doctor, child health administrator and community worker.

Paterson was appointed a Medical Inspector of Schools in 1912, initially based in Dunedin but then in Wellington from 1916.

[4] In 1923 Paterson was promoted to Director of the School Hygiene Division of the Department of Health.

[2] In 1935 Paterson represented New Zealand at a conference associated with the League of Nations held in Geneva.

Her obituary recorded that 'her wise and sympathetic handling of many of the problems of childhood earned her the esteem and affection of many generations of school children and their parents, as well as the confidence of the educational authorities'.