Dr. Ammon Hills, DO
He completed a Masters degree in Biomedical Science at Midwestern University in Glendale Arizona and went on to attend medical school at A.T. Still University in Kirksville Missouri. He completed a Transitional Year Internship at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern in Dallas Texas. While there, he received the Arete award for altruism in 2017, the Senior Resident of the Year award in 2018, and served as the academic chief resident.
He then completed a pain medicine fellowship at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento California. During his training, he was actively involved in the community and with research and remains affiliated with UC Davis co-authoring a book on implantation techniques for spinal cord stimulation. When Dr. Hills is not working, he enjoys hiking, soccer, anything outdoors, and spending time with his wife and four daughters.
Dr. Hills is excited to be joining Alpine Orthopaedic Specialists and looks forward to helping his patients recover and continue living their lives, pain-free.
Minimally invasive pain management services include but are not limited to:
Epidural Steroid Injections
Fluoroscopic guided procedures
Joint Injections
Medication Management
Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Radiofrequency Ablation
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Sympathetic nerve blocks
Trigger Point Injections
Ultrasound-guided procedures
NeuroFlow
Our patients have access to NeuroFlow, a digital health application for tracking, assessing, and managing your overall wellness. NeuroFlow provides fun, mobile, and easy-to-use tools that guide and support your journey towards an improved, more holistic well being. Speak with Dr. Hills to sign up for NeuroFlow.
Doctor • Stats
Education
PGY 5 – Graduating July 2019
University of California, Davis
– Pain Medicine Fellowship
– Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
– ABPMR Part I Exam: Passed
PGY 4 – June 2018
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program
– UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
– Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas TX
– VA Medical Center, Dallas TX
PGY 1 – June 2015
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
– Transitional Year Residency Program
– COMLEX STEP 3: 636:88
DO – May 2014
A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
– GPA: 91.79
– Class Rank: 22/169
– COMLEX STEP 1: 632:91
– COMLEX STEP 2 PE: Passed
– COMLEX STEP 2 CK: 545:85
MA – May 2010
Midwestern University
Biomedical Science
– GPA: 3.896
BS – May 2009
University of Utah
Exercise and Sport Science
– GPA: 3.69
Clinical & Work Experience
UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 2018 to 2019
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Pain Medicine Fellowship:
- ACGME accredited pain medicine fellowship program
- Abbott DRG Training and Education Program 2019
- Received certificate of completion required for DRG stimulation procedures
- Grand Rounds: Technological Advances in Spinal Cord Stimulation 2018
- Nevro Professional Education National Fellow Program, Redwood City, CA 2018
- Neuromodulation & the Business of Pain Course Completion
- Abbott Fundamentals in Neuromodulation Program, Dallas, TX 2018
- Pain Fellows Neuromodulation Course Completion
- Boston Scientific Spinal Cord Stimulator Fellow Course, Chicago, IL 2018
- Central Area Fellows SCS Cadaver Lab Course Completion
- Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator Fellow Course, Milpitas, CA 2018
- Pain Fellows Fundamentals of Implantable Therapies Course Completion
- Medtronic Spinal Cord Stimulator Fellow Course, Milpitas, CA 2018
- Pain Fellows Fundamentals of Implantable Therapies Course Completion
Academic Chief Resident, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 2017 – 2018
• Responsible for organizing resident didactics and department grand rounds
• Active participant on multiple committees: anatomy, ultrasound, education and documentation
• Involved with interdisciplinary spine research
• Organized an ongoing interdisciplinary spine journal club
• Organized physical exam, ultrasound, Botox, anatomy and wheelchair workshops
• Helped to interview, discuss, and rank PM&R residency candidates at UTSW
• Leadership role in a large program with 33 residents and many medical students
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 2015 to 2018
PM&R Resident
• ACGME accredited residency program
• Received the 2017 Arete Award for Altruism
• Received the 2018 Senior Resident of the Year Award
Documentation Committee, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 2016 to 2018
• Committee of residents and attendings tasked with standardizing templates
across multiple institutions
• Templates designed to optimize coding and billing
Root Cause Analysis, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 2015
• Comprehensive analysis of a case involving over-sedation of a patient
• Worked with interdisciplinary leaders to identify root cause and implement solutions
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, IN 2014 to 2015
Resident Physician
• ACGME accredited transitional year residency program
Rapid Improvement Event, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, IN 2014
• Interdisciplinary group of employees
• Comprehensive evaluation of the standard work of certified surgical technologists
• Implemented new standard work protocols improving efficiency and patient care at
the lowest cost
Advanced Research Systems Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 2008 to 2009
Sleep Lab Technician
• Administered and analyzed tests such as electroencephalograms,
polysomnograms, CPAP, BIPAP, and ASV studies
Neuromuscular Function Lab, 2008 to 2009
Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Utah
Research assistant
• Researched maximal power production in cycling
Hills – 3
• Oral presentation at the 2009 Northwest Biomechanics
Symposium at Washington State University
Primary Children’s Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 2007 to 2008
Spanish Interpreter
• Volunteered 134 hours interpreting for various hospital staff
W-cubed Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 2006 to 2008
Electrical Technician
• Built and tested electrical control panels for waste water treatment plants
Hills Construction Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 1998 to 2003
General Labor
• Worked on a variety of projects involving roofing, masonry,
excavation, plumbing, and more.
Licensure & Certification
Osteopathic Physician & Surgeon License, State of Utah
2019 – present
Fluoroscopy X-ray Supervisor and Operator Permit, Sacramento, CA 2018 – 2020
• Passed the Fluoroscopy examination for a Fluoroscopy Supervisor and Operator Permit on 5/5/2018
Osteopathic Medical Board of California, Sacramento, CA
2018 – 2020
DEA Controlled Substances Certificate 2018 – 2020
Certifications 2012 to present
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers
Volunteer & Co-Curricular Activities
Medical Society Memberships:
• AAPMR 2015 to present
• AAP Member 2015 to present
• Spine Intervention Society 2016 to present
• North American Spine Society 2017 to present
• American Academy of Pain Medicine 2018 to present
• American Osteopathic Association 2019 to present
Dallas Stars NHL Hockey Preseason Team Physicals,
Frisco, TX 2017
• Helped perform preseason sport physicals
• Performed baseline concussion testing using the King-Devick test
Hurricane Disaster Relief Service, Houston, TX 2017
• Worked with Mormon Helping Hands to remove drywall and other damaged property due to the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.
PM&R BOLD Initiative, AAPM&R, Dallas, TX 2016
• Participated in Virtual Town Hall for Residents on 7/27/16
• Attended AAPMR Visioning PM&R BOLD Community Gathering in Dallas on 11/3/16
• Helping to define the future of PM&R
University of Texas at Dallas Preseason Physicals, UTSW, Richardson, TX 2016
• Helped perform preseason sport physicals
U-17 Five Nations Hockey Tournament, UTSW, Frisco, TX 2016
• Provided sideline sports medicine coverage at Dr. Pepper Stadium
Girls Soccer: Top Performance Training Event, Frisco, TX 2016
• Provided concussion education and training for parents, players, and coaches
• Performed King-Devick baseline concussion testing on local athletes
• FC Dallas Headquarters – Toyota Stadium
U10/11 Girls Soccer Coach, Garland Soccer Association, Garland, TX 2016 to 2017
U5/6 Girls Soccer Coach, Garland Soccer Association, Garland, TX 2016 to 2017
Tornado Disaster Relief Service, Garland/Rowlett, TX 2015 to 2016
• Working with various organizations such as Operation Blessing, and Mormon Helping Hands providing service to individuals affected by the EF4 tornado that touched down on December 26th, 2015
Cycle for Survival, Dallas, TX 2016
• Participated in cycling event to raise money for cancer research
U6 Soccer Coach, Delaware County Futbol Club, Muncie, IN 2015
Logan High School Physicals Volunteer, Alpine orthopedics, North Logan, UT 2013
• Helped perform high school sport physicals at Alpine Orthopedics
World of Sports Medicine Guest Speaker (x2), ATSU-KCOM, Logan, UT 2013
• Helped discuss sports medicine topics on public radio with Dr. Trek Lyons, MD
Clinical Sports Medicine Assistant, USU Graduate Athletic Training Program, Logan, UT 2013
• Inserted intramuscular temperature probes as part of graduate research project
• Helped proctor suture lab
• Helped perform lactate threshold testing on select athletes
Volunteer Spanish Interpreter, ATSU-KCOM, Logan, UT 2012
• Helped interpret for local physicians at the Cache Valley Community Health Clinic
Clinical Ultrasound, ATSU-KCOM, Kirksville, MO 2012
• Participated in ultrasound elective covering several organ systems
Medical Student Ambassador, ATSU-KCOM, Kirksville, MO 2011 to 2014
Elementary Volunteer, University of Utah, SLC, UT 2009
• Helped teach the 3rd grade PE class at Parkview Elementary
U-FIT Volunteer, University of Utah, SLC, UT 2008
• Helped children with Autism develop social & physical skills
Hills – 5
Anatomy Teaching Assistant, University of Utah, SLC, UT 2007
• Tutored and taught undergraduate anatomy students
Missionary, Uruguay Montevideo mission 2003 to 2005
• Developed leadership experience and learned Spanish
Research
• Kreis PG, Fishman SM, Copenhaver DJ, Hills, AA:. Spinal Cord Stimulation 2nd Ed, Oxford University Press, New York. Ahead of print, expected 2019 or 2020.
• Hills, AA; Annaswamy, T. An Unusual Innervation Anomaly of the Extensor Digitorum Brevis: A Case Report. UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. Abstract accepted for publication in
AJPM&R. 2018, Mar; 97(3): a23.
• Hills, AA; Yang, JM.. An Unusual Presentation of HIV Myelopathy: A Case Report. UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. PM&R Journal. 2017, Sep; 9(9S1): S191.
• Trivedi, K; Hills, AA; Gluf, W; Annaswamy, T. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Selective Nerve Root Blocks and Needle Electrode Electromyography in Predicting Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Lumbar Radiculopathy. UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX. IRB approved.
• Hills, AA; Fox, MH; Wickremasinghe, W; Tan W. Unique Characteristics of Patient Handoff in Spinal Cord Injury. UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. PM&R Journal. 2016, Sep; 8(9S): S320-S321.
• Hills, AA; Laurente, X. Case Report: An Unusual Presentation Of A 61-Year-Old Male With Isolated Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia. IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, IN. Douglas A. Triplett, MD Memorial Research Symposium, Muncie, IN, April 2015.
• Hills, AA; Dewey, B; Burke, C. Detection and Treatment of Superficial Spreading Melanoma. Master of Arts Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona. Dr. Kenneth A. Suarez Midwestern University Research Day, Glendale, AZ, May 2010.
• Hills, AA; Christensen, AC; Snarr, ML; Bath, BS; Elmer, SJ; Martin, JC. Maximal Power Produced With Flexible And Non-Flexible Shoes. Neuromuscular Function Lab, Department of Exercise and Sport Science. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, Pullman, WA, June 2009.
• Snarr, ML; Christensen, AC; Hills, AA; Elmer, SJ; Martin JC. Maximal Power During Asynchronous and Synchronous Cycling. Neuromuscular Function Lab, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah. Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, Pullman, WA, June 2009.
• Christensen, AC; Snarr, ML; Hills, AA; Bath, BS; Elmer, SJ; Martin, JC. Bilateral Deficit During Maximal Synchronous Cycling. Neuromuscular Function Lab, Department of Exercise and Sport
Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, Pullman, WA, June 2009.
Languages
• English- native language
• Spanish
Personal
• Spending time with family
• Running
• Other outdoor activities: soccer, hiking, fishing