Kristie Thatcher, PA-C
Physician Associate
Meet Kristie Thatcher, PA-C
Kristie Thatcher is a board-certified Physician Assistant. She completed her education and training at Northern Arizona University Downtown Phoenix campus. She is originally from a small town in northwest New Mexico. She completed her undergraduate training at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces where she received her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. She moved to Phoenix for PA school and decided to make it home! Kristie has always had a passion for orthopedic care and knew this was the field she wanted to specialize in upon graduation.
She enjoys helping patients find the right plan of care that is best fit for them and their individual situation – whether that is proceeding with surgery or finding conservative options to control their pain and increase their level of function.
Aside from her career, she enjoys lazy weekends at home with her husband, son, and Labrador retriever. She enjoys working out as well as traveling to see family back in New Mexico.
Providers are now seeing patients at both Thompson Peak and Old Town locations.
Education
Master of Physician Assistant Studies with Distinction, August 2018
Northern Arizona University
Phoenix, AZ
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, May 2015
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Emergency Medical Technician – Basic
San Juan College, GPA: 4.0
Farmington, New Mexico
Clinical Experience/Skills
Mountain View Medical Center Orthopedics Las Cruces, NM
Medical Assistant
- Triage patients
- Perform casting
- Suture/staple removals
- Fit patients for braces
- Answer patient calls/questions
Orthopedic Surgery Clinical Rotation
- Trained in joint injections
- Assisted in surgery – including total joint replacements
Additional Skills
- Injections (steroid, Toradol, viscosupplementation, amnio stem cell, PRP, and lipogems stem cell)
- Assist in surgery
- Suturing
- X-ray/MRI interpretation
Achievements/Awards
Distinct Graduate
Northern Arizona University
Dean’s List - Fall 2016-Summer 2018
Northern Arizona University
Dean’s Academic Excellence Award, May 2015
New Mexico State University College of Education
Crimson Scholar Graduate
New Mexico State University
NMSU Regents Scholarship
New Mexico State University
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Physician Assistants
2016-present
Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants
2016-present
Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery
2018-present
Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
2012-present
Personal
Hobbies include weightlifting and spending time with my family and dogs.
