Alumni Profile: Dr. Thomas Christian Hatesohl: Concordia prepared me to serve others

Dr. Thomas Christian Hatesohl ’14 studied biology and chemistry at Concordia Nebraska. Although he attended the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy after his time in Seward, he soon discovered God was guiding him in a different direction, and he then attended optometry school at the University of Missouri, St Louis. He now practices as a primary eye care provider in Salina, Kansas, and also periodically joins others to serve at a vision clinic in rural Panama. 

“Every two years I join other optometrists and optical staff to run a week-long vision clinic in rural Panama,” he said. “We are sponsored by the Kansas chapter of the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) and the local rotary clubs in Colón and Panama City, Panama. We provide vision screenings, dispense glasses and refer patients for surgery if necessary.” 

Hatesohl said one of the many things that made his time at Concordia special was the fact that his professors truly helped to personalize his education.  

“They truly cared about my academic success and my future goals,” he said. “Their doors were always open if I had further questions or topics of interest to discuss.” 

Hatesohl said his time at Concordia Nebraska prepared him well for his future studies and career. 

“Academically, I felt very confident during my graduate programs in both pharmacy and later optometry,” he said. “My science professors did an excellent job going above and beyond preparing me for my future health courses.” 

In addition to excellent academic preparation, he said Concordia Nebraska also helped him grow his faith. 

“Chapel services offered a daily opportunity to study God’s word,” he said. “My Concordia theology professors brought the Old and New Testament to life in a way I had never previously examined them. Concordia helped emphasize how important all God’s people are in His creation and how we can apply our faith in a secular world through our given vocations.” 

In his work as an eye care provider, he diagnoses and treats vision disorders and treats a variety of ocular diseases and trauma. In addition to performing routine eye exams, he fits glasses and contact lenses and also performs ocular health assessments on patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, macular degeneration and glaucoma. 

“It is so rewarding to see the look on a young child’s face when he gets his first pair of glasses and can see clearly for the first time,” he said. “I’ve also been able to find early signs of diabetes in patients, tumors, vascular problems, and other overall health issues that they may not have known about otherwise. It’s rewarding to help people see and also get them referred to specialists when a more serious medical condition is detected.” 

Hatesohl and his wife Emily (Taylor) ’15 live in Salina, Kansas. They have an 18-month-old son and are expecting a baby boy in August 2023. They are active members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Salina. They enjoy traveling, hiking, and playing board games. 

Hatesohl’s brother Rev. Andrew Hatesohl ’13 also attended Concordia Nebraska, and that factored greatly into Thomas choosing the university, he said. Thomas said he still misses the people on campus and the fun of dorm and campus life, adding that he made many life-long friends at the university and will forever be grateful for his time at Concordia. 

Are you interested in exploring biology, chemistry and pre-med programs at Concordia Nebraska? Learn more here.