September 06, 2022
Meet Andrew Thome, MD
Foot and Ankle Specialist
Dr. Thome cares for adult and adolescent patients and athletes with both common and complex injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle. He has a particular clinical interest in foot and ankle trauma/sports injuries, including fractures and tendon injuries, deformities such as flatfoot deformity, cavovarus, bunions and hammertoes, as well as arthritis of the foot and ankle.
Where are you from? 
I grew up in St. Louis and attended St. Louis Priory School. After several years away from St. Louis for training, I’m excited to come back to my hometown to help take care of the people who make up this great city.
What made you choose orthopedics and foot & ankle as a specialty?
My grandpa was the captain of the University of Michigan Football team back in 1955 and went on to become a vascular surgeon. His success in athletics and academics drew me to the medical field. Orthopedics combined my interests in sports and medicine, and I was immediately drawn to it in medical school. I chose foot and ankle as a subspecialty because you can apply all the various concepts/procedures of orthopedic surgery (reconstruction/replacement, fixation of fractures, arthroscopy) to a specific anatomic area. I also enjoy the complex anatomy and structure of the foot and ankle as well as the associated challenges with reconstruction procedures.
What brought you to Washington University Orthopedics?
Growing up in St. Louis, Washington University has always been regarded as the top tier academic institution in the area. I enjoy teaching residents/medical students, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without all the guidance from mentors/attendings along the way. In addition, I feel that WashU Ortho brings a team mentality to the treatment of complex patients/problems, and has the resources to care for complicated cases. Research and progressing the field of foot and ankle/orthopedic surgery are also important to me and the resources at WashU will allow me to accomplish this.
What aspect of your practice do you find most interesting or rewarding?
Taking care of patients and getting them back to their goals/activities are probably the most rewarding aspects. I also enjoy seeing a resident/medical student grow over the course of a rotation and progress through their training.
Was there a past patient who made a lasting impact on you?
During my trauma fellowship, a young patient presented after a motor vehicle crash with multiple devastating lower extremity injuries while I was on call in the middle of the night. She had just graduated college was crying and very anxious and worried that her life was over due to this injury. I tried to reassure and told her that we would take the best care of her to get her back to her life, but that this was going to be a long journey. The situation was very overwhelming for her and required multiple surgeries. I spent many mornings explaining the game plan for the week and tried to remain optimistic. After several weeks in the hospital, she was discharged to a rehab facility. Almost 6 months after her injury she was able to start her job and couldn’t have been more thankful.
This made an impact on me because it may be time-consuming or difficult to talk to patients when they are overwhelmed with emotions, but it’s important to take a step back and realize how impactful some injuries can be to patients and to try to see things from their point of view. Once I was able to realize the context of her injury and how important this stage of her life was, I was able to empathize with her and ultimately gain her trust with the treatment plan moving forward.
Anything new on the horizon for foot & ankle care?
I think that there will continue to be advancements in total ankle replacement technology and the precision of instrumentation/indications will continue to improve to help patients with ankle arthritis. I also think that the post-operative care/rehab following poly-traumatic injuries will continue to evolve with enhanced technology and communication amongst providers and patients.
What is the best advice you ever received and who was it from? 
In medical school a mentor on my internal medicine rotation once told me, “If you take care of your patients, they will take care of you.” I think this is what propels me to take the best possible care of patients because it helps me sleep better at night knowing that I did the best I could for a patient, and I aim to treat my patients the way I would treat friends or family.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy exploring new parts of the country with my fiancé, Jen, going to college football games at Michigan (Go Blue!), and cooking/eating new types of seafood. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, fishing, playing pickleball and golf.
Learn why patient's choose Washington University Orthopedics, request an appointment online or call (314) 514-3500.