“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
~ Jeremiah 29:11
Class of 2016 Valedictorian, Katie (Carney) Hutto knows this scripture all too well from her time in high school and college. Her time as the Lady Lion’s Star Catcher and a stellar travel ball athlete came to a screeching halt when she tore her meniscus back in 2015. Katie went from calling pitches to calling doctors to figure out the next steps to healing, but even though this was a moment that would challenge her physically, emotionally, and spiritually, God was using it to lead her to the calling on her life He has planned from the very beginning.
After eight years of education and clinicals, Katie passed her boards and officially became a PA-C on January 26th, 2024. Her desire to become a certified Physician’s Assistant came from injury back in high school. “As a lifelong softball player, I had my first experience with a PA as a 17 year old girl who had just wrecked her knee for the first time. The PA I saw in the orthopedic clinic was very knowledgeable, compassionate, and had empathy for me as a scared young athlete. I continued to have orthopedic problems, and most times I would see PAs, and each interaction led me to be inspired by their careers. After these experiences in the medical field, I wanted to be able to provide the same comfort to patients in my position.”
Prior to turning her tassel at LCA, her inspiration to pursue a career as a PA-C was confirmed through her senior project. “I love this full circle moment in my life,” Katie said when recalling her senior project experience, “I shadowed a PA that helped me during my first orthopedic surgery in their outpatient clinic, and it absolutely confirmed that I wanted to pursue my career.”
After LCA, Katie continued her softball and academic career at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. After college graduation, Katie moved to Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, Mason Hutto, and their yellow lab, Goose. She is beginning her career as a Physician’s Assistant at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center with Drs. Emily Casey and Andrew Cordover.
When asked what her favorite part of being a PA-C is, Katie responded, “I love two things about being a PA: practicing medicine (in my case, orthopedics), and getting to know people. I have always been fascinated by the human body and how God built it to function perfectly. I am also interested in how our bodies can function improperly, and what we can do with modern medicine to provide relief and a better outcome for patients. I also chose medicine because I love getting to know people’s stories. Patient care is not just about what hurts and how we fix it, but how this happens and how we can influence our patients’ entire lives to better their outcomes.”
Katie, we are so proud of all you do and continue to do to impact lives for Christ. The story He continues to write in your life is proof of Jeremiah 29:11. No matter our circumstances, God has a plan intended for our good and His glory. We cannot wait to see what God writes in this next chapter in your life, and we look forward to the next time you return home to say hey to your Lion family!
