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Colin E. Poole, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

After graduating from medical school at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Dr. Poole completed his five years of residency training in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle. Following residency, he completed an additional Fellowship year at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in San Diego, subspecializing in Total Joint Replacement Surgery. In addition to joint replacement, Dr. Poole's practice includes Adult Trauma as well as General Orthopaedics.

Kurt J. Nilsson, M.D., A.B.F.P.

Dr. Nilsson completed medical school at the University of Utah and residency in family medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. Prior to moving to Boise, he spent three years with the Indian Health Service in Chinle, Arizona, Navajo Nation, where he was director of EMS and oversaw quality improvement in hospital advanced life support services. He and his wife relocated to Boise in 2003, where he completed a master’s degree in exercise science at BSU and a fellowship in Sports Medicine with Intermountain Orthopaedics.

Dr. Nilsson has a clinical interest and training in pediatric sports medicine and a research interest in cardiac physiology in adolescent athletes. Together with the other sports medicine providers at Intermountain Orthopaedics, he is active in community outreach, providing medical support and coverage for Columbia High School, the College of Idaho, Tamarack and Bogus Basin ski patrols, and traveling with the US Ski Team, among others. He also participates actively in research projects at the Intermountain Orthopaedics Center for Orthopaedic and Biomechanics Research at Boise State University. His practice focuses on non-operative treatment for sports injuries, fracture management, and concussion in children and adults.

Louis E. Murdock, M.D., A.A.O.S., C.A.Q.H.S., A.S.S.H., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

For Dr. Murdock joining Intermountain Orthopaedics was a step in pursuit of excellence that started at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1984. Upon completion of a medical internship in Cincinnati, Dr. Murdock was invited to participate in clinical research at the University of Utah, and while there finished his surgical residency training. He received his fellowship in hand and microsurgery at the University of New Mexico. Family life is of utmost importance to Dr. Murdock and his wife, Judy. They feel a strong attraction to the mountains and recreational activities in southern Idaho and they are eagerly introducing their three children to the Idaho outdoor lifestyle.

Jason Robison, MD., P.O.S.N.A.

A native of Idaho, Dr. Robison received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and graduated with honors from the University of Washington, School of Medicine.  He completed a five-year orthopaedic surgery residency at Washington University in St. Louis including pediatric orthopaedic training at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the St. Louis Shriner’s Hospital for Children before continuing his training with a fellowship in pediatric orthopaedics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

A member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Association of North America (POSNA), Dr. Robison is part of a highly qualified group within Intermountain Orthopaedics providing specialized care to children with orthopaedic concerns and problems.  Well trained in all areas of pediatric orthopaedic care including trauma, foot and ankle surgery, complex deformity correction and sports medicine, his areas of interest and expertise are broad.  Unique interests and training include the non-surgical and surgical treatment of complex deformities of the spine and hip that span childhood and into young adulthood.

Dr. Robison’s research interests have focused on hip deformity in the young, active adult and the outcomes of non-joint replacement surgeries.  He has authored chapters in textbooks on orthopedic trauma and the management of complex pediatric spinal deformity.  He enjoys being part of a group that provides comprehensive orthopaedic care to the children of the region, a community that his wife and family love to call home.

Steven E. Roser, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Originally from Walla Walla, Washington, I earned my undergraduate degree in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma in 1988. My medical training took place at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. Following the completion of my training in 1992, I went on to orthopaedic residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

In 1997, at the end of my residency I came west to Phoenix, Arizona, to receive further training in Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery under Stanley C. Graves, MD, at the Institute for Bone and Joint Disorders. Upon completion of my fellowship, I was asked to remain on staff at the Institute and did so for the next two and a half years.

Many exciting things are occurring in the care of the foot and ankle. One area that is seeing a great deal of research is Total Ankle Replacement. I have experience in this procedure and am excited to be able to offer this option to you.

On a personal level, I am married and have three children. My faith and family are of the utmost importance to me. In my time outside of my practice, I enjoy fly-fishing, amateur photography, hunting, reading, hiking . . . needless to say, Boise will keep me busy.

I am excited about the opportunities that exist here at Intermountain Orthopaedics. I truly believe that this group of physicians offers you some of the most advanced, innovative, and trustworthy care anywhere in the West.

Currently, I am the team physician for Ballet Idaho and enjoy caring for many of our youth in soccer, volleyball, gymnastics and other sports. I have personal experience with many sports and recognize the forces that are transmitted into the foot and ankle can, at times, be extreme. I pride myself on returning a player to their sport safely and quickly.

As one of only several hundred fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic specialists in the country, I consider it a privilege to be able to provide state-of-the-art care to you and your family. I will do everything possible to meet your needs as my patient.

Buzz Showalter, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Dr. Showalter completed his medical education at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, graduating in 1988. He went on to complete a five-year orthopaedic residency at the University of Utah in 1993. Most recently, he has completed fellowship training in pediatric orthopaedics with the guidance of Dr. Raymond Morrissy in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Showalter is fellowship trained in all facets of children's orthopaedics, including trauma, spine, neuromuscular and developmental disorders, and is a member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.

Kevin G. Shea, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Kevin Shea practices in Boise, Idaho, with appointments at Boise State University and the University of Utah. He attended the University of Notre Dame and UCLA School of Medicine. He did his orthopedic surgery training at the University of Utah. His fellowships include AO/Trauma (Switzerland), pediatric orthopedics (San Diego), and Ilizarov (Italy). His clinical practice focuses upon sports medicine and trauma, and pediatric orthopedics.

He was a 2008 AOSSM South American Traveling Sports Medicine Fellow and a 2009 AAOS Leadership Fellow. He serves on several national committees including Evidence Based Practice Committees for AAOS and POSNA, and the Publications Committee for the AOSSM. His research interests and publications include: osteochondritis dissecans, anatomy of knee injury in children and adolescents, and evidence-based analysis of injury prevention programs.

Dr. Shea is the vice chair of the AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline Committee for the Treatment of OCD. He is a founding member of the OCD Study Group of North America, which includes orthopedists and radiologists at nine centers. This multi-center academic group is developing validated classification systems for OCD, and will participate in prospective trials.

His hobbies include cycling, trail running, soccer, kayaking, and Labrador Retrievers. He spends most of his free time with his wife and children, enjoying the great Idaho Outdoors.

Articles by Dr. Shea

• ACL Injury and Repair Options
• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears in Young Athletes
• Articular Cartilage
• Clavicle Fractures in Cyclists
• Head Injury Prevention in Children
• Kids and Trampolines: A Dangerous Combination
• Knee Injuries
• Knee Injuries in Younger Athletes
• Knee Ligament Injuries
• Knee Pain and ACL Injury in Female Athletes
• Knee Pain in Young Athletes
• Low Bone Density In Cyclists
• Meniscal Cartilage and Meniscus Tears

Dennis R. McGee, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Dr. McGee graduated from Indiana University Medical School in 1982. He completed his orthopaedic residency at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1987. He completed a fellowship in joint replacement at the University of Utah in 1990. Dr. McGeespecializes in resconstruction of the lower extremity damaged by arthritis or trauma.

James E. Loveless, M.D., F.A.C.R.

Dr. James Loveless has practiced rheumatology in the Boise area since 1993 and has been a member of Intermountain Orthopaedics since 2000. He moved to this area from Colorado where he completed an internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. Prior to that, Dr. Loveless received his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. His interest in rheumatology can be traced back to early clinical experiences where he was mentored by several preeminent rheumatologists. Rheumatology became a natural career choice because of his interest in immunology as a basic science and a desire to solve challenging cases. Dr. Loveless is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Rheumatology and a member of the American College of Physicians. In addition, Dr. Loveless serves as the Rheumatology Advisor to the Idaho Medicare insurance carrier and has served on various other committees and advisory boards. He is currently the Medical Director of the research at Intermountain Orthopaedics, which maintains over thirty active clinical trials.

Areas of clinical interest include the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and Sjögren’s syndrome. In addition, Dr. Loveless has had extensive involvement in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. His practice encompasses infusion therapy, bone mass measurement, clinical trials, and consultation and management of patients with rheumatic disease. He is actively involved in clinical trials investigating new treatments for arthritis and osteoporosis. Dr. Loveless has helped author both clinical research abstracts and journal articles.

Dr. Loveless is committed to helping guide patients through the sometimes difficult path of establishing a diagnosis and improving their overall health status with state-of-the-art rheumatology care. His passion is for diagnosing rheumatic diseases and communicating with patients and referring physicians. Dr. Loveless is proud to be a member of the Intermountain Orthopaedics family and acknowledges the staff and physicians at IO who provide the comprehensive multidisciplinary support committed to developing a team of rheumatology providers that can work together in order to meet the needs of patients with rheumatic diseases throughout this Region. By integrating the medical, surgical, and research aspects of musculoskeletal care, we are able to provide service that is unparalleled in the Northwest.

When not seeing patients as Intermountain Orthopaedics, Dr. Loveless enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He also enjoys the many outdoor activities that Idaho has to offer. Dr. Loveless feels that it is a privilege to work and play in our growing community.

Erik Heggland, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Dr. Heggland is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and completed medical school at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis.

His orthopaedic surgery residency was at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, in Cleveland, Ohio. After residency he completed fellowship training in Sports Medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, with Dr.'s Andrews and Clancy. Dr. Heggland moved to Boise in 2001, and joined Intermountain Orthopaedics in 2003.

Dr. Heggland specializes in surgery of the shoulder and knee, and also cares for a wide array of athletic injuries, fractures, and arthritic conditions in adults. Dr. Heggland is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic surgery, and is a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Michael J. Curtin, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Dr. Curtin earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical doctorate with honors from the University of Utah. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Utah and an orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship was completed at the Steadman-Hawkins clinic in Vail, Colorado.

Prior to joining Intermountain Orthopaedics, Dr. Curtin's orthopaedic practice was in Denver, Colorado where he served as the orthopaedic team physician for the Colorado Rockies baseball club and as a limited consultant to the Denver Broncos football team. His practice concentrates on the evaluation and treatment of athletic injuries of the shoulder, knee and elbow. Dr. Curtin continues to serve as an orthopaedic consultant for the Colorado Rockies, despite the fact he has relocated his practice to Boise. In February, 2002, he acted as Director of Athletic Medical Services for Alpine Skiing, Snow Basin venue, for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.

Alex A. Homaechevarria, M.D., A.B.F.P., C.A.Q.S.M.

As a native of Boise with strong family and cultural ties to the community I have grown to appreciate the active lifestyle that embodies the people of this region. I have concentrated my medical training on the ability to accurately diagnose and safely return my patients as quickly as possible to their highly physical and active ways of life.

I received my medical doctorate from the University of Utah earning honors in Surgery and Family Practice. Following my Residency in Family Practice I completed a Fellowship in Sports Medicine at "TOSH" the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, and the University of Utah. During my Fellowship, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to care for members of the US Ski and Speedskating Teams, University Varsity athletes and serve as a physician at the Park City Resort Ski Clinic. Currently I serve as Team Physician for Bishop Kelly High School, and the US Ski Team and enjoy volunteering time with the Bogus and Tamarack Ski Patrols.

My wife Stephanie and I relish in the exceptional recreation opportunities Idaho has to offer. We love the skiing, hiking and biking that Boise provides. Our two daughters keep us busy with a full schedule of soccer, dancing and always planning our next family outing.

As a Board Certified and Fellowship trained Sports Medicine physician I strive to provide optimal care to patients with musculoskeletal and non-operative orthopedic conditions. I specialize in pediatric and adult sports injuries, back pain, shoulder and knee injuries and fracture management. The care I provide my patients compliments the comprehensive orthopedics offered by Intermountain Orthopaedics.

All Intermountain Orthopaedics physicians are fellowship trained. This means they have spent an additional year training in a specific area of orthopaedics. We have fellowship trained doctors in Pediatrics, Foot and Ankle, Rheumatology, Spine, Joint Replacement and Hand and Microvascular. We are proud that no other practice in Idaho offers such a wide range of fellowship trained orthopedic specialists.

When you call our office for an appointment, unless you specifically request a physician, we will direct you to the specialist most suited to handle your needs. We appreciate your interest in our practice. We know that choosing your doctor is an important decision and we consider it a privilege to offer you or your loved one medical care.

Search through the specialities listed on the left to learn more about the subject and the physicians trained to deal with them. Or if you prefer, click on a physicians name below to learn more about them.

Credential Abbreviations:

A.A.O.S. - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
A.B.O.S. - American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons
F.A.C.R. - Fellow American College of Rheumatology
F.A.C.S. - Fellow American College of Surgeons
A.B.F.P. - American Board of Family Practice
C.A.Q.H.S. - Certificate of Added Qualification Hand Surgery
C.A.Q.S.M. - Certificate of Added Qualification Sports Medicine
A.S.S.H. - American Society for Surgery of the Hand

W. Patrick Knibbe M.D., F.A.C.R.

I was born and educated in Salt Lake City, Utah with stops for further education in New York City, Laramie (Wyo) and Iowa City (Iowa). My medical school career was highlighted by being in the Internal Medicine Honors program at the University of Utah with George Cartwright, MD as a mentor. Further mentoring occurred in Rheumatology with John R. Ward, MD-one of the pioneers of the field. I also worked directly with Cecil Samuelson, MD, H. James Williams, MD and Daniel O. Clegg, MD who remains as chairman of the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Utah.

I have a clinical appointment as Associate Professor of Medicine in the division. During my fellowship which ended in 1981, I spent several months of elective time in Pediatric Rheumatology with intensive work with Virgil Hansen, MD and Bram Bernstein, MD at LA Children's Hospital.

I began private consultative rheumatology practice in June of 1981 based at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake with interests in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, osteoporosis and pediatric diseases. I headed the Pediatric Arthritis Clinic at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake from 1981 until John Bohnsack's arrival at the University of Utah gave us a pediatric trained rheumatologist. We continued to attend in the clinic together until 1996 when John took over management and my pediatric practice moved to my private office exclusively. I retain my passionate interest in the pediatric patient and their families with an optimistic eye to the future in this field considering the recent advances in biologics which have improved outcomes in children with JRA and other rheumatic diseases.

My current practice emphasis has expanded to include more time in osteoporosis education and in June 2001 I directed a national conference reviewing the coming treatments for osteoporosis entitled "Beyond the Basics-Current and Future Treatment of OP". Interests in spondyloarthropathies, osteoarthritis and other connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma and inflammatory muscle diseases are also among my interests in the fascinating field of rheumatology.

My hobbies include cycling, cross country skiing, hiking and my Nikon 90S accompanies me everywhere. I am married to expert flyfisherwoman, Suzanne Van Gytenbeek who has varied interests in the arts and fashion design. We are very much looking forward to rides on the Greenbelt, hikes in the foothills and skiing at Bogus. Our four children are spreading to the winds with Ashley, 26, working for Ritz Carlton in hotel management: Tyler, 24, teaching skiing at Snowbird and guiding on the Colorado from Moab; Abigail, 22, mother of Eoghan (a most intelligent and handsome grandchild) and published photographer and Peter, 17, history savant and high school senior.

My goals in joining Intermountain Orthopaedics are to combine the highest level of modern diagnosis and therapeutics with the old fashioned values of listening and treatment of the patient and family as valued members of the therapeutic team. We must remember to counter the advances in technology with connections on a human, compassionate level. I am impressed by the commitment at IO to this philosophy and very much look forward to beginning my practice in Treasure Valley in August 2001.

Howard A. King, M.D., A.A.O.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

Dr. King is a graduate of Northwestern University Medical School. He completed his orthopaedic training at the University of Utah and did a one year fellowship in scoliosis and spinal deformity surgery at the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center in Minneapolis. He has been a member of the academic and clinical faculty at the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics. He has had the opportunity to lecture and participate in surgery as a guest at numerous spine centers around the world. His areas of clinical and research interests are in pediatric spinal deformity, pediatric and adult scoliosis, and reconstructive spine surgery.

He is a member of numerous medical societies, including the Scoliosis Research Society, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, and the American Orthopaedic Association. Dr. King and his wife, Becky, have three children. As an avid golfer, he enjoys playing throughout the Northwest.

Steven B. Care, MD., A.A.O.S., F.A.C.S., A.B.O.S. Board Certified

My medical aspirations began in college as I completed a degree in Philosophy at Yale University. To me, the most challenging aspect of medicine since has always been the wide variety of situations with which my patients present. Unlike working with an inanimate object like a car, each patient comes with values, beliefs, expectations and desires relating to the problem at hand that brought him or her to me. I have always viewed patients in terms of these personal value issues in addition to the medical concerns. This is what makes medicine an art.

My formal medical education continued on the East Coast at Yale University School of Medicine where I obtained my Medical Doctorate. I then began the journey west by moving to Cleveland, Ohio where I pursued five years of internship and orthopaedic residency at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland. I completed formal surgical training through an additional year of hand and microvascular surgery study in the Cleveland Combined Hand Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Cleveland’s busy Level I Trauma Center—Metrohealth Medical Center. I then moved immediately to Boise, where I’ve happily remained ever since.

My life outside work centers on family. My wife Gretel, my son Nick and I moved to Idaho together in 1997, fulfilling the dream to “move to the mountains” that brought Gretel and I together. We now have Katie and Sam to round out the family, and they are true Idaho natives. Gretel, Nick and I are proud to have assimilated ourselves into the northwest melting pot and to be in our second decade in Boise. We are avid participants in the western lifestyle spending much of our weekend time in the mountains riding and racing mountain bikes, hiking and fishing, hanging out with the dogs and enjoying what truly represents the last echoes of the great Wild West.

In addition to being a busy hand surgeon I am a devoted woodworker and believe in starting with a tree or raw wood and taking this to a finished project. It is a way of intertwining the concepts of reducing, reusing, recycling and refusing with by products that come out of the woods themselves from logging, fire, slash and so forth. I believe that the future of our community and the planet depends upon our aligning our culture with these concepts and taking them to heart. I try to immerse my family in this thinking. For example, by helping me make their beds from standing dead trees to the final product my children are learning creative skills and developing an appreciation of where the “stuff” we live with comes from. It also makes for some humorous answers to parenting questions like “Did you make your bed Sam?”

Woodworking is, perhaps, a natural extension of Orthopaedic work which, of course, deals substantially with bones. It also sheds light on the precious nature of my working medium. Human body parts are not easily replaced and many times cannot be, and this leads to the task at hand of making the most out of that with which my patients present--despite the ravages of fractures, trauma, nerve damage, tumors, arthritis, infection and a host of other issues that lead to hand trouble. Modern hand surgery includes an enormous armamentarium of options for treating the injured or diseased hand, many of which are minimally invasive and rapidly effective. Just as the woodworker takes a downed tree and turns it into a useful or beautiful piece of furniture, the hand surgeon aspires to take the broken or dysfunctional hand and return it as much as possible to its wondrous function of pinching, gripping, twisting, turning, and lifting that define our human nature. This is the skill set that I endeavor to bring to Intermountain Orthopaedics.