Sarah M. Palmer DO

Sarah Palmer, DO, is an anesthesiologist at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center. She earned her medical degree at Western University for Health Sciences in Lebanon, Oregon, then completed an anesthesiology residency at the University of Arkansas for Health Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas. She stayed on an extra year to specialize in interventional pain medicine.

A native Northwesterner, Dr. Palmer was a Spanish language major as an undergraduate at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. She studied abroad in Ecuador, where she cared for patients with Hansen’s disease. As co-president of the Spanish club in medical school, she helped teach other students beginner Spanish and volunteered at a local farm clinic providing care to Spanish-speaking laborers. She has continued to incorporate her knowledge of the language and culture into her work.

Her approach to treatment focuses on the whole person, not just the procedure, she said. “In the anesthesia setting, this means approaching each patient with empathy, clear communication and a commitment to safety and comfort,” she said. “I strive to be a calming presence, advocating for my patients when they’re most vulnerable and collaborating closely with the surgical team to ensure seamless care.”

In her free time, Dr. Palmer enjoys outdoor activity, especially backpacking and rafting. She completed the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Northern Route of the Camino De Santiago in Europe with her identical twin sister. She also likes volleyball, pickleball and ultimate Frisbee, as well as adventuring with her husband and dogs.

• Western University of Health Sciences, COMP-Northwest
  Degree: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

• Aetna
• Amerigroup Washington
• Care Oregon
• Cigna
• Community Health Plan of Washington
• Coordinated Care Washington
• Devoted Health
• First Choice Health Network
• Health Net of Oregon
• Humana
• Kaiser Permanente
• Medicaid Washington
• Medicare
• Moda Health
• Molina Healthcare
• Multiplan Network
• Pacific Medical Centers
• PacificSource Health Plans
• Premera Blue Cross
• Providence Health Plan (PPO)
• Provider Network of America
• Regence - Oregon & Washington
• TriWest Healthcare Alliance
• United Healthcare
• Washington State Labor & Industries