Timothy O’Brien, MD moved to Bozeman in 2003 after completing a fellowship at the Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Clinic in Vail, Colorado. During his fellowship, Dr. O’Brien learned advanced techniques in knee surgery including ACL reconstruction, multi-ligament repair and reconstruction, cartilage restoration procedures, meniscal surgery and high tibial osteotomy under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Steadman, a pioneer and world renowned orthopaedic surgeon and Dr. William Sterett, head physician for US Women’s Ski Team. He also studied and performed advanced shoulder techniques with Dr. Richard Hawkins, an internationally known shoulder surgeon and founder of the Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas. During his fellowship, Dr. O’Brien worked with athletes from high school to professional sports, including providing medical services for the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies and US Ski Teams.
Dr O’Brien brought many of these techniques to Southwestern Montana. He and his partner, Mark Deibert, MD brought innovative ideas such as hamstring and cadaver ACL reconstruction to the area, offering less post-operative pain and easier rehabilitation for patients. He was the first in Bozeman to perform single and double row arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic shoulder procedures for shoulder instability and to prevent dislocation and reverse total shoulder replacement for rotator cuff arthropathy, a condition with previously few good surgical treatments. He continues to keep up to date with the latest treatments and techniques in orthopaedic surgery through his professional affiliations and travel with national and international societies and organizations.
Dr. O’Brien lives in Bozeman with his wife, Kristen, and four children, Jack, Maeve, Rose and Finn.
Clinical Interests
- Non-operative treatment and Arthroscopic and open surgery for Shoulder injuries including Shoulder Replacement
- Latest techniques for Knee surgery including ACL reconstruction and total knee replacement
- Hip Replacement with Alternative Bearing Surfaces
Employment
Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
536 Cottonwood Rd.
Bozeman, MT 59718
Professional Societies
- Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
- Represent State of Montana for the Council of Delegates
- Arthroscopy Association of North America
- International Society of Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
- Rocky Mountain Shoulder & Elbow Society
- Hawkins Shoulder Society, Hilton Head, SC
- United States Ski Team Assistant Physician
- Inman-Abbott Medical Society – UCSF Alumni
- Montana Medical Licensure
Education
Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Fellowship – Vail, CO
Advanced Fellowship training in reconstructive knee and shoulder surgery and sports medicine. Team coverage for NFL Denver Broncos, MLB Colorado Rockies, United States Ski Team. July 2002 – August 2003.
University of California at San Francisco – San Francisco, CA
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency July, 1998 – July, 2002
General Surgery Internship June, 1997- July, 1998
Brown University School of Medicine – Providence, RI
M.D. May, 1997. Achieved Brown’s highest academic rating as Outstanding Devlin Scholarship Award for Medical Students 1995-96, 1996-97
Affinity Group Fellow 1995-96, 1996-97
Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
A.B. Cum Laude in Government, June 1988
Honors Thesis – A Comparison of Executives: Roosevelt’s versus Churchill’s Use of the Media
Harvard College Dean’s List 1984-1988
President of Harvard Boxing Club
Bryn Mawr College – Bryn Mawr, PA
Post-Baccalaureate in Pre-Medical Studies, May 1993.
National Presentations / Publications
- “Combined ACL/HTO for the Varus Degenerative Knee.” E-Poster presentation AANA (Arthroscopy Association of North America) April 2004. Timothy O’Brien, MD, David W Wing, BA, William I Sterett, MD
- “Factors Associated with Disability & Activity in Patients Seeking Care for Osteoarthritis.” Poster presentation AAOS 2004. First place award winner. Karen K Briggs, J Richard Steadman, MD David Wing, BA, Timothy O’Brien, MD
- “Chondral Lesions in Patients Treated with Microfracture & Medial Opening Wedge HTO.” Poster presentation AAOS 2004. William I Sterett, MD, David W Wing, BA, Timothy O’Brien, MD, J Richard Steadman, MD
- “Immunohistochemical localization of growth factors in injured meniscal tissue.” Orthopaedic Research Society – 43rd Annual Meeting, 1997. J. Gastel, JH. Barrach, D. Labrador, T. O’Brien, M. Hulstyn (1996)
- “The effect of protective football equipment on alignment of the injured cervical spine: Radiographic analysis in a cadaveric model.” M.A. Palumbo, M.J. Hulstyn, P.D. Fadale, T. O’Brien, L. Shall (1996). American Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 24:pp 446-53, July 1996
- “Localization of osteocalcin and bone morphogenetic proteins 2, 4 and 6 in the regenerate region of a canine limb lengthening model.” E.S. Mortimer, D.P. Labrador, H.S.Keeping, M.G. Ehrlich, T. O’Brien, H.J. Barrach (1994). Transactions of the Second Combined Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Societies of USA, Japan, Canada and Europe, p. 319
Podium Presentations
- “Shoulder Instability and Labral Pathology.” – Bozeman Deaconess Hospital Medical Grand Rounds, December 2006
- “Compartment Syndrome: What it is and how to recognize it.” – BDH AAPC Coding Class. November 2006
- “Common and Not So Common Causes of Knee Pain.” – Fourth Annual Pain Symposium. Bozeman, MT, August 2004
- “ACL Injuries and Reconstructive Options.” – Bozeman Deaconess Hospital Medical Grand Rounds, June 2004
- “Shoulder Pathology and Physical Exam Techniques.” – Montana State University – Health Service Physicians. February 2004
- “Upper Extremity Orthopaedic Trauma.” – Bridger Bowl Ski Patrol, Bozeman, MT, November, 2003
- “Common Knee Injuries.” – Third Annual Pain Symposium, Bozeman, MT, September, 2003
- “Pulmonary Emboli, Deep Venous Thrombosis, Compartment Syndrome.” – Bozeman Deaconess Hospital Nursing Conference, October 2003
- “Multiple Ligamentous Knee Injuries.” – Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Fellows Meeting, Vail, CO July 2003
- “Rotator Cuff Pathology Update.” – Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Grand Rounds, Vail, CO September 2002
- “Arthroscopic Treatment of the Degenerative Knee” – Orthopaedic Conference of Latin America, Havana, Cuba, November 2002
- “Orthopaedic Volunteerism” – South Africa/Cuba Experience, Vail Rotary Club, May 2003
- “Shoulder Pathology” – Impingement to Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, University of California at San Francisco, June 2002
- “Meniscal Transplantation” – Indications & Techniques, Inman-Abbott Lecture Series, University of California at San Francisco, May 2002
- “Posterolateral Corner Knee Reconstruction” – Inman-Abbott Lecture Series, University of California at San Francisco, May 2001
- “Orthopaedic Overseas South Africa Experience” – Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, University of California at San Francisco, April 2001
- “Management of Pelvic Ring Injuries” – Orthopaedic Grand Rounds, University of California at San Francisco, September 1999
Basic Science Orthopaedic Reseach Experience
- Independent Study at Rhode Island Hospital Department of Orthopaedics/Biomechanics
Researched with sports-medicine service on meniscal injuries/repair. Surgical introduction of meniscal tear in rabbit model and immunohistochemical staining of harvested frozen specimens. 1995-96, (Preceptor: M.J. Hulstyn) - Department of Orthopaedics Rhode Island Hospital /Brown Medical School
Full-time summer and part-time school-year research including application of Ilizarov external fixation frames to canines, immunohistochemical staining for growth factors, gel electrophoresis, frozen section histology of bone and cartilage, biological specimen harvest and dissection. 1994-95. (Preceptor: M.G. Ehrlich)
Additional Orthopedic Research
- T. O’Brien, R. O’Donnell (2002) Bone Tumors following Trauma
- T. O’Brien, M. Safran (2002) Practice Essentials: Shoulder Impingement vs Instability. Accepted for submission to Physician and Sports Medicine.
- Other research includes the following: PCL primary repair results, Sensitivity of combined clinical testing (Lachman and pivot shift) for ACL injury, Tibial rotational strength deficits after ACL with hamstrings vs patella tendon, Strength loss after biceps tenodesis vs tenolysis
Previous Work Experience
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom – Boston, MA
Legal assistant in legal intern program at international law
firm. Project assistant for several mergers, acquisitions and
loan restructurings. June 1990-August 1992.
Community Service
- Orthopaedics Overseas
Voluntary rotation in South Africa January – February 2001 working with local orthopaedists in Umtata. - Physicians Advocacy Project of Brown University
Worked with group of concerned physicians and anti-tobacco lobbyists drafting legislation to prohibit youth access to tobacco. Project resulted in stricter enforcement of standing laws and enactment of new legislation. 1994-96. - Harvard Schools and Scholarships Committee
Alumni interviewer for high school applicants to Harvard. Report to admissions committee. 1990-1997. - City Year
Project coordinator and team captain for annual fundraiser and serv-a-thon. Solicit volunteers and donations for this urban peace corps which was used as a national model. 1990-1997 - Pro-Bono Legal Work
Drafted documentation for victims of religious and political persecution applying for asylum in the United States. 1990-92 - Massachusetts State Boxing Commission
Deputy commissioner for organization sanctioning and overseeing all amateur and professional boxing matches in the state. 1989-92.
Personal
Travel – Independently traveled around the world after college graduation to New Zealand, Australia, China, Thailand, India and Western Europe. 1988-89
Enjoy skiing, mountain biking, hiking, golf, fly fishing.
