After attending a Massachusetts boarding school, Peterson earned his bachelor's and doctor of medicine degrees from Harvard University.
[3] While at Harvard, Peterson served as a bishop of the University Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 1978, Peterson left Harvard to become dean of health sciences at the University of Utah.
The first human implantation of an artificial heart and the Fleischmann–Pons experiment took place at the university on his watch.
Peterson retired from the university in 1991, though continued teaching a course at the medical school until his death.