Dr. Michael A. Thorpe

Jonathan B. Shafer, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in surgery to the upper extremity. His clinical interests include reconstructive surgery to the shoulder, forearm and hand, as well as arthroscopic surgery to the upper extremity, and total shoulder and elbow replacement, and upper extremity trauma. The greatest pleasure of his job is making his patients feel special and cared for. He believes that since so many people are scared and afraid to see a doctor, it is imperative to make every patient feel comfortable.He comes from a highly-educated and scientific family spanning two continents. His American father was a petroleum engineer for ExxonMobil, while his Ghana-born mother was an educator and counseling professional. In the Shafer household, education and achievement were highly-prized values. Science was always very prominent in his house, so he always knew that he was going to do something in science. After graduating with a degree in biochemistry from Rice University, he took a job developing a new drug to treat psoriasis for Allergan Pharmaceuticals. But he soon decided he wanted to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Shafer is highly rated in 10 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Dupuytren Contracture, Ganglion Cyst, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and Rhizarthrosis.

Christopher Van Hofwegen (“Van-Hof-Wagon” or “Dr. Van”), MD, joined our office in August of 2010. He graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and continued his residency as a Hawkeye. He finished his Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia. Dr. Van Hofwegen moved to Whatcom County with his wife, who is originally from Nooksack and is a practicing Family Physician. They are the parents of three children. Dr. Van Hofwegen is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Frozen Shoulder, Tendinitis, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.

Jason Dahl, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow.Dr. Dahl was raised in Duluth, Minnesota, the son of an operating room circulating nurse and a nurse anesthetist. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota with a degree in Information Systems. After finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Dahl spent several years splitting his time between leading canoe trips in the summer and skiing in places like Big Sky, Montana, and Jackson, Wyoming in the winter. In 2005, Dr. Dahl entered medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and in 2009 began his surgical training at University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York.Following residency, Dr. Dahl pursued subspecialty fellowship training in hand surgery at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.Dr. Dahl began his career as a private practice physician with Twin Cities Orthopedics in Maple Grove, Minnesota. During his tenure, he was twice selected by his physician peers as a “Rising Star” in Mpls/St. Paul Magazine (2018, 2019).Dr. Dahl is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and holds additional subspecialty certification in surgery of the hand and upper extremity by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. His practice is focused on the surgical treatment of disorders and injuries affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow, with a special interest in complex upper extremity trauma.In his free time, Dr. Dahl enjoys road and mountain biking, backcountry and nordic skiing, playing music (violin, guitar, piano), and spending time with his wife and daughter. Dr. Dahl is highly rated in 8 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rhizarthrosis, Dupuytren Contracture, Trigger Thumb, and Hip Replacement.