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.