Cardiologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Chiropractor providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dentist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dermatologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Family Physician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
OB-GYN providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Ophthalmologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Orthopedic Surgeon providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Pediatrician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Physical Therapist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Podiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Psychiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Through his own athletic participation, experienced sports medicine specialist Christopher Proctor, MD, understands that his patients want to get back to their normal activities as quickly as possible. At Alta Orthopaedics, with locations in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California, Dr. Proctor is committed to keeping his patients fully informed to help make their healing process smoother. For him, high-quality care begins by taking the time to listen carefully so that he can be sensitive to his patients’ individual needs. Then he can provide the best recommendations and treatment to promote the most rapid and complete healing possible.
Dr. Proctor graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, yet it wasn’t until he was introduced to orthopaedics at Columbia University that he found his true passion. After that, his own interest in athletics led him to become a Sports Medicine specialist. He completed his orthopedic residency at New York Orthopaedic Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
He was later selected as the prestigious Frank E. Stinchfield Fellow in Orthopaedic Surgery at Columbia University and also conducted postdoctoral research in biomechanics. He furthered his training with an advanced sports medicine fellowship with the renowned Southern California Center for Sports Medicine.
Dr. Proctor is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, California Orthopaedic Association, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America, which named him as a Distinguished Arthroscopy Leader.
In addition to private practice, Dr. Proctor is currently the team physician for the Santa Barbara Foresters Baseball team of the California Collegiate League and for Santa Ynez High School, and a consulting physician for the US Ski Team and UCSB Team. He was previously the stadium physician for the New York Yankees and Madison Square Garden, and for the Santa Barbara Breakers professional basketball team.
Dr. Proctor has also published numerous articles and book chapters on sports medicine, in addition to conducting and presenting his extensive research findings across the United States and Europe. Additionally, he has developed and patented devices that prevent and rehabilitate sports injuries. Dr. Proctor previously served as an editorial reviewer for leading orthopaedic journals and is currently investigating novel techniques for repairing shoulders and knees.
A native of Southern California, Dr. Proctor has been part of the Santa Barbara community for over 25 years. His greatest satisfaction in life is being a father and husband. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, and stand up paddling.
Dr. Stuart Hutchinson has served the Santa Barbara community as a spine specialist and surgeon since 1980. He practices at Alta Orthopaedics, located in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. His grandfather was a doctor and his father was a prominent general surgeon in Seattle. As a child, it was clear to him that he wanted to follow the same path in the medical field.
Watching how his father treated people and how much his patients loved him, taught Dr. Hutchinson the importance of connecting with patients on a very human level. He believes that part of the art of medicine is to treat them with care and compassion, and to be sensitive to their needs. That means he takes time to listen carefully to his patients’ concerns and to discern whether issues in other areas — not always physical — are affecting the patient’s overall well-being and ability to heal.
During his 5 years of medical training in South Africa he learned that, given time, patients can often heal without surgery. Some situations require immediate surgery. It’s important to recognize those. But he favors a less invasive approach that steers away from the current trend of offering surgery as the first treatment option.
In 1985 Dr. Hutchinson teamed up with Dr. William Dunbar, to establish the first local center for orthopaedic surgeons who wanted to specialize in more focused areas, such as spine surgery or foot and ankle surgery. Their center grew into what is today Alta Orthopaedics.
Dr. Hutchinson draws inspiration and energy from nature and being outdoors. He likes to play golf and hike the beautiful Santa Ynez mountains. He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Whitney, and Mount Rainer, and has snow skied in Utah and Colorado. Dr. Hutchinson’s family is close by in Southern California and Arizona.
VOLUNTEERING Dr. Hutchinson has a deep personal connection to the world of volunteering. His father founded the non-profit Fred Hutchinson Research Cancer Center in Seattle, after his uncle, a Big League pitcher, died of lung cancer at age 45. Today it is renowned as one of the best cancer centers in the country and the best place in the world for bone marrow transplants. It has produced three Nobel prize winners over the last 20 years. Dr. Hutchinson serves on their Board of Ambassadors and MCs their annual fundraiser in Palm Springs.
SPECIALTY WITHIN SPINE SURGERY: KYPHOPLASTY Dr. Hutchinson was the first surgeon in the Tri-Counties to perform kyphoplasty to treat compression fractures of the spine. Today he is the only surgeon in Santa Barbara who uses this procedure. Pain goes away immediately and patients get great results. They can return to daily activities much more rapidly than with more invasive methods of treatment.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS Participating physician in the Summer Olympics 1984
Co-founder of Orthopaedic Specialists, Santa Barbara, which later became Alta Orthopaedics
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Arizona.
Completed his medical training at the prestigious Stellenbosch University in South Africa where he spent 5 years
Certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, September 1982
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons since 1985
Active member of the North American Spine Society since 1985
Member of the South Africa Orthopedic Association since 1990
“Very professional atmosphere the only thing I would have to say is that I've always had to wait 45min to an hour for my appointment s which is disappointing ”
Jenna Withrow, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant at Alta Orthopedics, which has locations in Santa Barbara, Solvang, Oxnard, and Santa Maria, California. She is committed to providing outstanding orthopedic care to individuals living in and around the central coast of California.
Jenna is a Santa Barbara native and attended Westmont College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 2011. She received her physician assistant training and Master of Health Sciences degree from the Duke University School of Medicine. She served as a primary care PA for years prior to pursuing orthopedics.
Jenna emphasizes patient education and clear communication and views her role in medicine as a privileged opportunity to serve as a compassionate partner in patient care.
In her spare time outside of the office, Jenna enjoys surfing, reading, cooking, traveling, and being outdoors.
To schedule an appointment with Jenna and the skilled team at Alta Orthopedics, call the office or request one online today.
Brooke graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies. She then graduated from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences Physician Assistant Program with a Master’s Degree in 2007. She relocated to Santa Barbara and has been working at Alta Orthopaedics since 2008.
“Very professional atmosphere the only thing I would have to say is that I've always had to wait 45min to an hour for my appointment s which is disappointing ”
Becky graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005. She worked for the City of Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital as a certified EMT prior to graduate school. She has been practicing orthopaedics in Santa Barbara since completing her Master’s Degree at the University of Florida in 2010.
“Rebecca Glusac, PA-C is awesome. She is considerate, kind, knowledgeable and takes time to answer my questions or concerns. She always takes time to spend with me when I have an appointment. She is the best!”
Amy Wickman, MD, is an experienced spine specialist with the team at Alta Orthopaedics, with locations in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. In the midst of the complexity of spine surgery, Dr. Wickman puts patients and their families in the foreground. Having dealt with sick family members as well as with her own orthopaedic issues, she knows how important it is for patients to feel validated, to feel that they are heard, and for the doctor to be able to see the situation from the patient’s perspective.
Dr. Wickman became a doctor because she wanted to help people have better health. She completed her undergraduate degree in urban planning at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, before graduating with her medical degree from the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. It was there that she developed her love of spine surgery during her five-year residency, training at a Level 1 Trauma Center, the Hines VA, and the Shriners Hospital for Children. She dealt with everything from traumatic spine and spinal cord injuries to treating children with scoliosis and adults with degenerative conditions such as herniated discs.
Her education and training in orthopaedic surgery allows her to see issues from a broader perspective, to look at the whole person and identify problems that may not be as obvious as they appear on an MRI. At the same time, she avoids surgery when there are other equally effective solutions.
When it comes to the spine, there may be more than one way to handle a problem. Options may depend on goals and lifestyles as well as medical issues. Dr. Wickman takes time to make sure her patients are aware of all those aspects so that each individual finds the best solution for the circumstances. When possible, she includes family members in decisions about surgery and hospital care. In addition to her busy practice at Alta Orthopaedics, Dr. Wickman is an on-call surgeon for the Emergency Room.
Dr. Wickman is a self-described “city girl” born and raised in Chicago. Now she loves the year-round healthy Santa Barbara lifestyle and understands how important it is for her patients to get back to the activities they enjoy. In college, she was captain of her rowing team. Today, she remains active by running and hiking. In addition to spending time outdoors, Dr. Wickman’s great joy in life is her family – her husband and two children.
Asher Kupperman, MD, is a specialist in hand and upper extremity surgery at Alta Orthopaedics, with locations in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. Dr. Kupperman was born at Cottage Hospital and raised in Santa Barbara. He attended Vieja Valley, La Colina, and graduated valedictorian from San Marcos High School, where he captained the basketball team. As the son of two doctors, it was always his dream to return to Santa Barbara as a physician so that he could care for the community that raised and cared for him.
He majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University and earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Following his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Kupperman completed specialty fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He also trained at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Cornell Medical School.
He has treated many professional athletes, including members of the New York Giants, Knicks, and Mets, the New Jersey Devils, a Wimbledon Tennis Champion, a US Open Golf Champion, and many world-renowned artists and musicians.
While living in Nashville, Dr. Kupperman fell in love with his beautiful wife, Elizabeth. He enjoys spending time with her and their young son, Lev, and is always on the lookout for a pick-up game of basketball.
Amit Nathani, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Alta Orthopedics with fellowship training in both sports medicine and shoulder surgery. He sees patients in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Solvang, and Oxnard California. Dr. Nathani is accepting new patients. Dr. Nathani was fellowship-trained at Stanford University, where he served as a team physician for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.
Dr. Nathani specializes in injuries affecting the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee, as well as general orthopedics and fracture care. He performs minimally invasive surgery (arthroscopy) and open surgery, including joint replacement of the shoulder. He is trained in the latest cartilage-restoring procedures, helping many avoid joint replacements. These advances include the use of biologic and FDA-approved regenerative cell therapies.
Dr. Nathani has published numerous peer-reviewed papers and textbooks on sports medicine injuries and treatment. His research includes anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, running injuries, rotator cuff tears, and hip injuries. He has lectured internationally and is an active member of several orthopedic societies that focus on improving care and outcomes for his patients.
Dr. Nathani holds privileges at several conveniently located hospitals. He accepts all types of patients, including those in professional sports, recreational athletes, and patients looking to resume a pain-free and active lifestyle. He prides himself on providing comprehensive and compassionate care and sees patients throughout their entire course of treatment, including overseeing their physical therapy and rehabilitation process. He believes in taking the time to explain a diagnosis properly and ensuring that patients leave the office fully understanding the treatment plan.
Dr. Nathani is a former Division I Tennis player and continues to enjoy golf and tennis recreationally. He is active in global humanitarian healthcare and donates time to surgical care for the underserved in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He currently lives in Santa Barbara with his wife Isabella, three children, and two rescue dogs.
“Dr Amit Nathani and all his staff are just wonderful , no waiting , very professional , gave me my treatment and scheduled next appointments never a problem . I have recommended him to many of my friends ”
Certified physician assistant Anne Peanasky, PA-C, is dedicated to helping patients in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, and Solvang, California, return to a healthy, active life through orthopaedic care. She practices from the convenient office locations of Alta Orthopaedics.
Anne graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014 with a Bachelor's Degree in Biochemistry. During her time there, she swam on the UCSB Division 1 swim team. She worked as an EMT before attending graduate school.
She went on to complete her Masters of Physician Assistant Studies at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2018. After earning her master's, Anne returned to Santa Barbara. She's proud to be able to provide comprehensive orthopaedic care to the community.
As a former collegiate athlete, Anne has a unique perspective on orthopaedic care and understands the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle. She takes the time to listen to her patients' goals and works collaboratively to help them achieve an improved quality of life.
When she's not caring for patients at Alta Orthopaedics, Anne enjoys spending her time surfing, cooking, cycling, swimming, and running.
“Anne Peanasky, is sweet and very pleasant . Explains the procedure and very gentle. I hate needles. but she a know-How girl, and it doesn’t hurt when Ann does it. I stand for Ann.”
Erin Haggerty, MD, is a dual fellowship-trained foot and ankle specialist and sports and specialist practicing at Alta Orthopaedics, located in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. As a physician board-certified in both specialties, she has a particular interest and training in pathology pertaining to the foot, ankle, and hip regions.
In the foot and ankle, Dr. Haggerty treats sports-related injuries in athletes, degenerative issues such as arthritis, deformity correction, bunion surgery, Achilles tendon ruptures, and foot and ankle trauma. She also has advanced training in total ankle replacement surgery. In the hip region, she specializes in arthroscopic, minimally-invasive treatment for labral tears and impingement syndromes.
Dr. Haggerty was born and raised in Ventura, California, and feels privileged to return to the region to treat the community here in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. After graduating from Buena High School, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was an NCAA student-athlete and competed as a varsity member of the women’s crew team for four years. She then earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and completed her internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Following orthopaedic residency, Dr. Haggerty completed two fellowships. She performed her first fellowship in sports medicine at Brown University. There, she learned the skills necessary to treat soft tissue ailments via minimally-invasive arthroscopic approaches so as to return athletes to play as soon as possible. In this fellowship, she also served as a team doctor for all of the Brown University athletes as well as for the Providence Bruins AHL professional hockey team. With this aspect of her training, she gained valuable skills in caring for athletes that she was able to translate to her foot and ankle patients as well.
Dr. Haggerty then completed a second fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the University of California, Davis and the Reno Orthopedic Clinic. During this busy year, she mastered the skills necessary to treat all pathology involving the foot and ankle. She works proactively with all of her patients to determine and achieve their best possible outcome.
Dr. Haggerty and her husband, Ben, are thrilled to return to their hometown and begin a family. She feels grateful to be joining the team of providers at Alta Orthopaedics and looks forward to helping the citizens of the community in which she was raised.
“Excellent experience. Very informative and DR. Haggerty answered all of my questions clearly.
Front office staff and x-ray tech were very nice and professional.
Highly recommend Dr. Haggerty”
Eli Kupperman, MD, is a fellowship-trained sports and regenerative medicine specialist at Alta Orthopaedics in Solvang, and Santa Barbara, California. He treats musculoskeletal conditions resulting from injury, overuse, and arthritis. He specializes in shoulder replacements as well as arthroscopic and minimally-invasive surgical techniques, which reduce post-operative recovery time and allow patients an earlier return to work and play.
Dr. Kupperman is proud to have grown up in Santa Barbara, where he attended Vieja Valley, La Colina, and San Marcos High School. He graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics and rowed for the crew team. He then earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his internship and residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Following residency, Dr. Kupperman completed his specialty fellowship in sports medicine under the world-renowned surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, at the Andrews Institute, where he was awarded the prestigious Herodicus Society North American Travelling Fellowship. This fellowship provided him with extensive and immersive training in operative and non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in professional and collegiate athletes.
He is currently the head team physician for Santa Ynez High School and is one of the team physicians for the Santa Barbara Foresters baseball team and UCSB. Dr. Kupperman stays active by distance running, including completing many marathons. He and his wife, Stephanie, and their young daughter, Audrey, love spending time with their extended family, enjoying the outdoors, and sampling the wonderful variety of activities and food Santa Barbara has to offer.
“Dr Kupperman is excellent as a person as well as a surgeon. I will be having a shoulder replacement to my other shoulder & will only have it done by Dr Kupperman.”
Christopher Birch, MD, is a hip and knee replacement specialist and board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with the team at Alta Orthopaedics, located in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. Dr. Birch offers not only a unique world experience but also particular medical expertise as the first fellowship-educated knee and hip arthroplasty specialist to join the Santa Barbara private medical community in well over a decade.
A Santa Barbara-native and third-generation physician, Dr. Birch completed his bachelor’s degree in international studies and chemistry at Boston College. He then spent eight months studying socio-economic aspects of public health and infectious disease in East Africa, which inspired him to pursue medicine. Afterward, he earned his medical degree from the University of California San Diego, where he was a Health Equity Scholar.
Dr. Birch went on to complete his general surgery internship and orthopaedic residency at the University of Vermont. While there, he served on the residency selection committee for two years and the graduate medical education quality council for four. Adding a final flourish to his academic credentials, Dr. Birch joins the Alta Orthopaedics team from one of the most sought-after total joint and lower extremity reconstruction fellowships in the country at Indiana University.
“First of all, the front desk folks are absolutely the Best!! Actually listen and care! So nice!! I didn't wait long at all! Dr Bitch is like an old friend, listens and cares! Wants the best for YOU!! So glad I found him and his office!”
Christopher Birch, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
511 Bath Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
4.7(370)
4.7
(79)
Dr. Rivka Ihejirika-Lomedico
Orthopedic Surgeon 1.5 mi
Rivka Ihejirika-Lomedico, MD, is a fellowship-trained Orthopaedic surgeon and Spine specialist at Alta Orthopaedics, located in Santa Barbara and Solvang, California. Dr. Lomedico understands that the journey to seeking a spine consultation can be challenging for patients. She aims to provide compassionate, patient-centered care while offering non-operative, minimally invasive, and traditional surgical treatments for all spine disorders.
Dr. Lomedico, a southern California native, is a graduate of Davidson College where she was a Presidential Scholar earning a full academic scholarship and three research grants. She then attended Vanderbilt Medical School where she received the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship and graduated in the top 5% of her class with Junior AOA designation along with numerous other clinical and service-oriented awards.
Dr. Lomedico completed Orthopaedic Surgical Residency including an additional basic science research year at New York University Langone Medical Center/Hospital for Joint Diseases. As a graduate of the 6-year clinician scientist track at NYU, she continued to distinguish herself during residency by receiving four grants and numerous research awards. She then trained at the Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital combined spine fellowship program in Boston, MA. There she gained extensive experience in the operative and non-operative management of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine pathology. Here at Alta, she treats patients of all ages with traumatic, degenerative, deforming, oncologic, and congenital conditions in the spine.
Dr. Lomedico has a strong interest in bone health optimization, regenerative medicine, and wellness. She has over 100+ contributions to the scientific community including publications, presentations, and teachings. Here at Alta, she continues to engage in clinical research and collaborate with researchers locally and at major institutions. Dr. Lomedico is also a certified yoga instructor whose experience in Integrative Health allows her to provide patients with evidence-based recommendations for alternative therapies.
She is married to Mark Lomedico, and they have two beautiful children. In her spare time, she enjoys family life, running, hiking, yoga, and working on her golf game.
Through his own athletic participation, experienced sports medicine specialist Christopher Proctor, MD, understands that his patients want to get back to their normal activities as quickly as possible. At Alta Orthopaedics, with locations in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California, Dr. Proctor is committed to keeping his patients fully informed to help make their healing process smoother. For him, high-quality care begins by taking the time to listen carefully so that he can be sensitive to his patients’ individual needs. Then he can provide the best recommendations and treatment to promote the most rapid and complete healing possible.
Dr. Proctor graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, yet it wasn’t until he was introduced to orthopaedics at Columbia University that he found his true passion. After that, his own interest in athletics led him to become a Sports Medicine specialist. He completed his orthopedic residency at New York Orthopaedic Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
He was later selected as the prestigious Frank E. Stinchfield Fellow in Orthopaedic Surgery at Columbia University and also conducted postdoctoral research in biomechanics. He furthered his training with an advanced sports medicine fellowship with the renowned Southern California Center for Sports Medicine.
Dr. Proctor is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, California Orthopaedic Association, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America, which named him as a Distinguished Arthroscopy Leader.
In addition to private practice, Dr. Proctor is currently the team physician for the Santa Barbara Foresters Baseball team of the California Collegiate League and for Santa Ynez High School, and a consulting physician for the US Ski Team and UCSB Team. He was previously the stadium physician for the New York Yankees and Madison Square Garden, and for the Santa Barbara Breakers professional basketball team.
Dr. Proctor has also published numerous articles and book chapters on sports medicine, in addition to conducting and presenting his extensive research findings across the United States and Europe. Additionally, he has developed and patented devices that prevent and rehabilitate sports injuries. Dr. Proctor previously served as an editorial reviewer for leading orthopaedic journals and is currently investigating novel techniques for repairing shoulders and knees.
A native of Southern California, Dr. Proctor has been part of the Santa Barbara community for over 25 years. His greatest satisfaction in life is being a father and husband. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, and stand up paddling.
Dr. Stuart Hutchinson has served the Santa Barbara community as a spine specialist and surgeon since 1980. He practices at Alta Orthopaedics, located in Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard, California. His grandfather was a doctor and his father was a prominent general surgeon in Seattle. As a child, it was clear to him that he wanted to follow the same path in the medical field.
Watching how his father treated people and how much his patients loved him, taught Dr. Hutchinson the importance of connecting with patients on a very human level. He believes that part of the art of medicine is to treat them with care and compassion, and to be sensitive to their needs. That means he takes time to listen carefully to his patients’ concerns and to discern whether issues in other areas — not always physical — are affecting the patient’s overall well-being and ability to heal.
During his 5 years of medical training in South Africa he learned that, given time, patients can often heal without surgery. Some situations require immediate surgery. It’s important to recognize those. But he favors a less invasive approach that steers away from the current trend of offering surgery as the first treatment option.
In 1985 Dr. Hutchinson teamed up with Dr. William Dunbar, to establish the first local center for orthopaedic surgeons who wanted to specialize in more focused areas, such as spine surgery or foot and ankle surgery. Their center grew into what is today Alta Orthopaedics.
Dr. Hutchinson draws inspiration and energy from nature and being outdoors. He likes to play golf and hike the beautiful Santa Ynez mountains. He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Whitney, and Mount Rainer, and has snow skied in Utah and Colorado. Dr. Hutchinson’s family is close by in Southern California and Arizona.
VOLUNTEERING Dr. Hutchinson has a deep personal connection to the world of volunteering. His father founded the non-profit Fred Hutchinson Research Cancer Center in Seattle, after his uncle, a Big League pitcher, died of lung cancer at age 45. Today it is renowned as one of the best cancer centers in the country and the best place in the world for bone marrow transplants. It has produced three Nobel prize winners over the last 20 years. Dr. Hutchinson serves on their Board of Ambassadors and MCs their annual fundraiser in Palm Springs.
SPECIALTY WITHIN SPINE SURGERY: KYPHOPLASTY Dr. Hutchinson was the first surgeon in the Tri-Counties to perform kyphoplasty to treat compression fractures of the spine. Today he is the only surgeon in Santa Barbara who uses this procedure. Pain goes away immediately and patients get great results. They can return to daily activities much more rapidly than with more invasive methods of treatment.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS Participating physician in the Summer Olympics 1984
Co-founder of Orthopaedic Specialists, Santa Barbara, which later became Alta Orthopaedics
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Arizona.
Completed his medical training at the prestigious Stellenbosch University in South Africa where he spent 5 years
Certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, September 1982
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons since 1985
Active member of the North American Spine Society since 1985
Member of the South Africa Orthopedic Association since 1990
“Very professional atmosphere the only thing I would have to say is that I've always had to wait 45min to an hour for my appointment s which is disappointing ”
Jenna Withrow, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant at Alta Orthopedics, which has locations in Santa Barbara, Solvang, Oxnard, and Santa Maria, California. She is committed to providing outstanding orthopedic care to individuals living in and around the central coast of California.
Jenna is a Santa Barbara native and attended Westmont College, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 2011. She received her physician assistant training and Master of Health Sciences degree from the Duke University School of Medicine. She served as a primary care PA for years prior to pursuing orthopedics.
Jenna emphasizes patient education and clear communication and views her role in medicine as a privileged opportunity to serve as a compassionate partner in patient care.
In her spare time outside of the office, Jenna enjoys surfing, reading, cooking, traveling, and being outdoors.
To schedule an appointment with Jenna and the skilled team at Alta Orthopedics, call the office or request one online today.
Brooke graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies. She then graduated from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences Physician Assistant Program with a Master’s Degree in 2007. She relocated to Santa Barbara and has been working at Alta Orthopaedics since 2008.
“Very professional atmosphere the only thing I would have to say is that I've always had to wait 45min to an hour for my appointment s which is disappointing ”
Becky graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005. She worked for the City of Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital as a certified EMT prior to graduate school. She has been practicing orthopaedics in Santa Barbara since completing her Master’s Degree at the University of Florida in 2010.
“Rebecca Glusac, PA-C is awesome. She is considerate, kind, knowledgeable and takes time to answer my questions or concerns. She always takes time to spend with me when I have an appointment. She is the best!”
