Robert Shupe, PA

Candice Rai has spent her entire physician assistant career in orthopedics and spine care. Her primary focus is treating neck and lower back pain with radiating symptoms through a variety of conservative treatments, surgical interventions and spinal cord stimulators. Candice has worked in both clinical and surgical settings. In the clinic, she focuses on conservative treatment modalities such as physical therapy or medical management that can prevent the need for surgery. In the operating room, she is the first to assist in minimally invasive surgeries such as laminectomies or more involved surgeries such as cervical fusion, lumbar fusions and sacroiliac joint fusions. Candice approaches treatment as patient-centered with shared decision-making. By working with her patients to fully inform and educate them on all their treatment options, they can work together to create a plan tailored to each patient’s unique needs and goals. Candice finds that by empowering patients to be active members in their own healthcare, they are more motivated and successful at reaching their goals.

Alyssa Yamamura’s specific focus area is orthopedic spine surgery, which she was initially drawn to because of her own sacroiliac dysfunction. She helps assist in both surgical and nonsurgical treatments to help her patients return to their unique lifestyles. Alyssa’s unique approach to treatment involves patient-centered care. She understands that every patient brings their own individualized medical history and unique needs as it relates to their whole person. She strives to consider whole-body care strategies to offer specialized medicine made with each unique patient in mind. When Alyssa isn’t in the clinic or assisting in the operating room, you can find her at hot yoga, trail running or spending quality time with her family and pets.

Vanessa Fisher focuses on all spinal conditions including congenital deformity, scoliosis, and degenerative conditions. The secondary specialties include general orthopedics including diagnosing and treating conditions of the shoulder, hip and knee joints. She specializes in trigger point injections, shoulder, knee, and hip bursa injections. When it comes to treatment, her focus is to always educate the patient and provide him/her with as much knowledge about the condition as possible. She always explores and exhausts conservative treatment options first. Surgical options are explained in detailed and offered when appropriate. She believes in a compassionate and straightforward care philosophy. Vanessa Fisher’s personal hobbies include hiking, yoga, and horseback riding. She owns 4 horses which take up most of her heart and time.