About Us: About Dr. Bear
Jan Van Twisk Bear, MD
Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr. Jan Bear grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is married to Kim and has two daughters, Samantha and JJ.
Dr. Bear has been involved in sports since junior high school but over the last twenty-five years has become interested in endurance sports. This began with several marathons while in medical school and residency, then on to multisport events and ultra-endurance races. In the last seven years, he began competing in adventure races. He enjoys training with his wife who is also an adventure racer and ultra-endurance athlete.
Some of his recent accomplishments include the only consecutive three-time Leadville Trail 100 bike and run finisher, with one of these combination of races being completed with Kim and another with his brother Todd. In 1999, he completed both 100 mile Leadville races in the top level under nine hours on the bike and under twenty-five hours in the run. He has also earned the coveted 1000 mile belt buckle for ten-time finishers of the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Other accomplishments include a tenth place finish in the Solo division of the 2000 Twenty-Four Hours of Moab Mountain Bike Race, eighteen top ten age group finishes in the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathon and third place in age group at La Ruta de Los Conquistadores the toughest mountain bike race on the planet in Costa Rica in 2000. As a founding member of Team Santa Fe, he has also competed in several adventure races in the last seven years.
Most races are completed with his wife Kim also an avid racer and member of Team Santa Fe. Over the years, Jan has competed in The Beast of the East X2, Primal Quest X2, Eco Challenge Canadian Championships, Eco Challenge X2, Balance Bar 24 X4, AdventureXstream X10 and numerous other events.
During the last sixteen years, he has been practicing orthopaedic surgery initially in private practice, but since 1996 as a founding partner of Orthopaedic Associates of Northern New Mexico. He is also an associate orthopaedic medical director at St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe.
If that’s not enough, he still has a little time left to work out with Samantha and JJ who are involved in basketball, soccer, cross country and swimming.
Medical Degree
University of New Mexico School of MedicineAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Sports Affiliation
Team Physician, Santa Fe Prepatory SchoolProfessional Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Western Orthopaedic Association New Mexico Orthopaedic Society
Hospital Affiliations
CHRISTUS® St. Vincent Regional Medical Center Physicians Plaza SDS Center Public Health Service Hospital