Biography
Complex Knee, Complex Shoulder, Hip & Sports Medicine
Dr. Jonathan Godin, a noted orthopaedic surgeon and former fellow of The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute, joined the surgical staff, in Vail, October 1, 2019.
Dr. Godin's primary focus is on treating patients’ knees, shoulders and hips in the Vail, Frisco and Aspen clinics.
Throughout his training, Dr. Godin has earned awards for teaching and research. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, written book chapters and review articles, and produced instructional surgical videos. His work has been presented at numerous local, regional, national and international meetings. He is also a member of the ROCK Study Group (Research in OsteoChondritis of the Knee), a multi-center research group focused on improving outcomes in children and adolescents with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions.
“Dr. Jonathan Godin’s return gives The Steadman Clinic another world-class surgeon who is committed to research and applying the latest scientific advancements to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Marc J. Philippon, Managing Partner of The Steadman Clinic and Co-Chair of Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI). “He is an accomplished orthopaedic surgeon who finished his fellowship here in Vail and moved on to a very successful practice in Roanoke, Va. We are very fortunate to have Jon return to Vail and welcome his talents—both as a surgeon and as a caring, professional health care expert—to our team of world-renowned surgeons.”
The Fellowship Program at The Steadman Clinic has proven to be a key recruitment program for the clinic. In addition to Dr. Godin, Dr. Randy Viola, Dr. Peter Millett, Dr. Tommy Haytmanek, Dr. Jared Lee and Dr. Joseph Ruzbarsky all are graduate orthopaedic surgeons of The Steadman Clinic’s highly regarded sports medicine fellowship.
“We know firsthand that Dr. Godin is an accomplished physician who puts his patients first,” said Dan Drawbaugh, CEO of The Steadman Clinic and SPRI. “He fully embraces our bench-to-bedside commitment to move advancements in the research lab to the clinic more seamlessly than any other medical center. He is a great cultural fit and we’re excited to welcome him back.”
Dr. Godin is excited about his orthopaedic practice at The Steadman Clinic.
“I’ve been really fortunate so far in my career, and I am at a place that I consider to be a dream job,” said Dr. Godin. “The Steadman Clinic is on the cutting edge from both research and clinical standpoints. Everybody from ‘weekend warriors’ to elite athletes comes here to get well and to get back to what they want to do. I also very much like the overall culture of the clinic. It truly is a special place and one that I am proud to call home.”
Dr. Godin’s familiarity with The Steadman Clinic certainly played a role in his return.
“I enjoyed an incredible year, both personally and professionally, at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI during my time as a fellow,” said Dr. Godin. “Everyone and everything associated with Steadman is first class, from the leadership, to the doctors, researchers, lab technicians and other staff members. It will be a very comfortable fit for me to join the staff and I am eager to get to work.”
Originally from Flint, Mich., Dr. Godin graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in neuroscience and a minor in entrepreneurship and management.
“I knew I wanted to go into medicine and Johns Hopkins had a very good undergraduate program in neuroscience, which is what I wanted to study at that time,” said Dr. Godin.
Dr. Godin attended the University of Michigan Medical School as a Dean’s Merit Scholar, where he graduated with honors. While in medical school, he also completed a Masters of Business Administration degree with a focus on healthcare management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
His interest in orthopaedic surgery came into play during his first year of medical school at Michigan.
“I shadowed one of the sports medicine surgeons (Dr. Bruce Miller) and felt that I had found my calling working with athletes,” said Dr. Godin. “It was a good personality fit for me, seeing a problem and helping patients heal and recover. I like the fact that I can help enrich people’s lives in a very hands-on way.”
Dr. Godin completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center, where he provided physician coverage for Hillside High School, North Carolina Central University and most of Duke’s varsity athletic teams, including the men’s football, basketball and lacrosse teams.
As is the case with many new surgeons joining the staff at The Steadman Clinic, the lure was more than simply being a part of a world-class clinic with top-notch surgeons.
“I grew up competitively skiing slalom and giant slalom in Michigan,” said Dr. Godin. “Skiing is one of my passions, and I’m thrilled to be going back to one of the greatest skiing regions of our country.”
Dr. Godin lives in the Vail Valley with his wife, Morgan, who is a fellowship-trained cornea surgeon, and their daughter, Madison Rose.
For more information about Dr. Godin, visit his website.
