Rhett Griggs, MD
Dr. Griggs was born and raised in Jackson, Wyoming. Similar to the Gunnison Valley 30 years ago, he grew up skiing, biking, pack tripping, hunting and playing team sports. He competed in multiple Junior Olympics with ski racing, was a member of a State champion football team, multiple little league all-star baseball teams and loved to spend time with his family in the backcountry.
He attended Colorado State University for two years where he started to compete in cycling. He then transferred to Loma Linda University to complete his degree in Occupational Therapy and to ride year ’round. His clinicals for OT were completed in Hawaii where he was able to bike race and learn to surf. He then moved to New Orleans to complete a hand therapy fellowship for six months. After completion, he went to Denver to live and work enough to race his road and mountain bike for two years. He then moved back to Jackson to start Teton Hand Therapy with his mother; they worked together for two years prior to medical school. Working closely with hand and sports surgeons in Denver and Jackson sparked his interest in orthopedics and he decided to return to school. He completed his M.D. at Saba University School of Medicine. He then did his internship with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. His orthopedic residency was completed with Maricopa in Phoenix, AZ for his 2nd and 3rd years where he gained extensive exposure to trauma and sports medicine. He completed his 4th and 5th years of residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville where again he had significant exposure to sports medicine and orthopedic trauma. He still had a love for hand, elbow and shoulder and decided to do a fellowship in this with his mentor Dr. Paul Dell in Gainesville. During fellowship, he was able to hone his skills and knowledge in microvascular surgery, reconstruction, hand, elbow and shoulder arthroscopy and arthroplasty as well as continue covering trauma cases with his trauma attending and friend Richard Vlasak, M.D.
Once the fellowship concluded, Dr. Griggs interviewed all over the country, however came to the conclusion that he wanted to raise his children in a place similar to Jackson. He moved to Crested Butte in July 2008 and has worked diligently to provide patients with superior care since then. He is excited to be a part of this community and the lifestyle it provides. He continues to be an orthopedic trauma consultant with Smith and Nephew, consults with Pearl Izumi cycling company, speaks regularly on the topic of hand surgery, is a team physician for USA cycling and Stan’s No tubes Women’s Elite team, Western State College and the gO sports teams. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
Blake Clifton, MD
Orthopedic surgeon Blake Clifton joined the team of multidisciplinary orthopedic & sports medicine experts at gO Orthopedics in 2017. Dr. Clifton enters the practice as a partner specializing in pediatric and adult sports medicine and total joint replacement. Dedicated to the highest standard of patient care, Dr. Clifton will provide cutting-edge treatment options such as short stay joint replacements and accelerated rehabilitation allowing patients to get back to their favorite activities sooner after total joint replacement. He is one of only a few doctors in Colorado and across the country currently using this technique.
In his role as practice partner, Dr. Clifton – the only Board-certified fellowship trained pediatric sports medicine orthopedist in the Western slope– further rounds out gO Orthopedics highly specialized and comprehensive orthopedic program, providing young patients singular access to his unique expertise in pediatric orthopedic care. “Dr. Clifton brings talent and innovation in orthopedic care, and his addition to our team reaffirms our commitment to providing world-class, personalized and comprehensive care through cohesive unification of top orthopedic providers in the valley,” said Rhett Griggs, M.D., partner of gO Orthopedics.
Dr. Clifton earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He then completed a surgery internship and orthopedic residency at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center along with a pediatric orthopedic surgery residency at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. His postdoctoral training also includes a fellowship in pediatric and adult sports medicine at the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Clifton is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He has authored or coauthored numerous articles published in prestigious scientific journals. He has served as team physician for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and University of New Mexico Lobo Athletics.
Timothy Gueramy, MD
Dr. Gueramy joined gO in 2017 bringing this Foot and Ankle expertise to the valley. Dr. Gueramy received his medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. After medical school, he was then a resident in the orthopedic surgery program at Wayne State University. Dr. Gueramy completed his fellowship in Foot and Ankle at Portland Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Gueramy comes to us from Austin, Texas where he practiced for over 16 years in Foot and Ankle. When not providing only exceptional care to patients, Dr. Gueramy stays active with outdoor activities such as skiing, mountain bilking and hiking. He also enjoys relaxing and spending time with his wife and pets.
Dr. Gueramy is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.