Dr. Thistlethwaite is a graduate of the West Virginia University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Psychiatry at Charleston Area Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, he is a fellow of the APA, and has worked in private practice as a psychiatrist for the past 30 years. Dr. Thistlethwaite is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and the American College of Forensic Examiners. Dr. Thistlethwaite currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at West Virginia University, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Prior to focusing exclusively on outpatient psychiatry Dr. Thistlethwaite served as Chief of Psychiatry for Thomas Memorial Hospital. Dr. Thistlethwaite also provides TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Therapy Services. Dr. Thistlewaite completed a visiting fellowship in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at Duke University in 2013. He has been certified as a Brainsway dTMS system operator. He completed Neuronetics training program for TMS in 2012. Dr. Thistlethwaite also has worked extensively in forensic and correctional psychiatry with both adult and juvenile offenders. He continues to provide forensic psychiatric assessments.