Thomas F. Higgins, MD

Languages spoken: English, Spanish
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  • Dr. Thomas Higgins holds the Richard L. Stimson Presidential Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery and is a Professor and Chief of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery at the University of Utah. His medical degree was completed at Brown University School of Medicine. His orthopaedic training was at Yale University, with a post-graduate fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He has been on the faculty at University of Utah since 2000.

    Dr. Higgins’ clinical expertise is in the treatment of complex intra-articular injuries, pelvic and acetabular trauma, and musculoskeletal care in the setting of polytrauma. His elective practice focuses on the deformity correction, malunions, and nonunions.

    The author of over eighty peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters, Dr. Higgins main area of research interest clinically has been on plateau fractures. He has been primary investigator or co-investigator on four OTA grants, two AO grants, and an OREF grant. His most recent research has focused on the genetics of trauma, the use of opiate analgesics in the trauma setting, and the role of inflammatory mediators in the formation of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. He was recently awarded a $2.5 million dollar DOD grant for a prospective randomized clinical trial on the role of NSAIDs in fracture healing.

    In the educational sphere, Dr. Higgins is recognized nationally for his research and presentations of tibial plateau fractures. He has been active with orthopaedic education with AO North America, chairing three courses, and teaching at over thirty. Previously a member of the OTA Education Committee, he has also chaired multiple resident courses for the OTA. He has received the annual teaching award three times at the University of Utah.

    He has previously served on the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Board of Directors, and currently serves as OTA Secretary on the BOD. Dr. Higgins was the OTA Annual Program Chair in 2013 and 2014. In 2009, Dr. Higgins served as the OTA/AAOS Landstuhl Visiting Scholar, and has been visiting professor at multiple universities. In 2015 he and his family spent four months serving at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, and he served as a visiting surgeon with Health Volunteers Overseas at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, Bhutan for the month of January 2020. He maintains an interest in continuing to serve in global medicine.

    When he is not working, he enjoys skiing, biking, and traveling with his wife and kids.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Orthopaedics - Primary

    Patient Rating

    4.7/5

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    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey and displayed in their entirety.
    Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    November 06, 2022

    Great experience great faculty and staff, I really appreciated both my doctor and I believe she was a resident MD and they both talked to me and went over details about my injury and how the progression and recovery would be like. I was being seen at LAC/USC and I was treated very differently with really no information into my injury or anything. So receiving this attention from the staff at U was really near and dear to me so thank you very much!

    August 23, 2022

    None better!

    August 12, 2022

    I greatly appreciated seeing Dr. Higgins NP. She was very nice and listened to my questions and requests.

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  • Dr. Thomas Higgins holds the Richard L. Stimson Presidential Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery and is a Professor and Chief of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery at the University of Utah. His medical degree was completed at Brown University School of Medicine. His orthopaedic training was at Yale University, with a post-graduate fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He has been on the faculty at University of Utah since 2000.

    Dr. Higgins’ clinical expertise is in the treatment of complex intra-articular injuries, pelvic and acetabular trauma, and musculoskeletal care in the setting of polytrauma. His elective practice focuses on the deformity correction, malunions, and nonunions.

    The author of over eighty peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters, Dr. Higgins main area of research interest clinically has been on plateau fractures. He has been primary investigator or co-investigator on four OTA grants, two AO grants, and an OREF grant. His most recent research has focused on the genetics of trauma, the use of opiate analgesics in the trauma setting, and the role of inflammatory mediators in the formation of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. He was recently awarded a $2.5 million dollar DOD grant for a prospective randomized clinical trial on the role of NSAIDs in fracture healing.

    In the educational sphere, Dr. Higgins is recognized nationally for his research and presentations of tibial plateau fractures. He has been active with orthopaedic education with AO North America, chairing three courses, and teaching at over thirty. Previously a member of the OTA Education Committee, he has also chaired multiple resident courses for the OTA. He has received the annual teaching award three times at the University of Utah.

    He has previously served on the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Board of Directors, and currently serves as OTA Secretary on the BOD. Dr. Higgins was the OTA Annual Program Chair in 2013 and 2014. In 2009, Dr. Higgins served as the OTA/AAOS Landstuhl Visiting Scholar, and has been visiting professor at multiple universities. In 2015 he and his family spent four months serving at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, and he served as a visiting surgeon with Health Volunteers Overseas at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, Bhutan for the month of January 2020. He maintains an interest in continuing to serve in global medicine.

    When he is not working, he enjoys skiing, biking, and traveling with his wife and kids.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Orthopaedics -Primary

    Research interests

    Education history

    Fellowship Orthopedic Surgery - R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center Fellow
    Orthopedic Surgery - Yale New Haven Hospital Chief Resident
    Residency Orthopedic Surgery - Yale New Haven Hospital Resident
    General Surgery - Yale New Haven Hospital Intern
    Professional Medical Medicine - Brown University School of Medicine M.D.
    Pre-Medicine - Bryn Mawr College, Post-Baccalaureate Sciences Program Postbaccalaureate Studies
    Undergraduate Political Science, Concentration in International Relations - Williams College B.A.

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