His return marks a meaningful milestone — both for him personally and for the organization he helped shape.
MORRISVILLE, Vt. — Mansfield Orthopaedics at Copley Hospital is pleased to announce the return of Dr. Bryan Huber, who will begin seeing patients one day a week this fall after a years-long journey through leukemia treatment and recovery.
A respected orthopaedic surgeon and one of the key leaders behind the growth of Mansfield Orthopaedics, Dr. Huber spent nearly two decades helping build the practice into one of northern Vermont’s leading orthopaedic programs. His return marks a meaningful milestone — both for him personally and for the organization he helped shape.
“Bryan helped build something rare here — a program with big-hospital expertise and small-town personal care,” said Copley Hospital President and CEO Joe Woodin. “Having him back in the clinic speaks to the culture our team has created. This is a group that supports one another, and Bryan’s return is a testament to that.”
Dr. Huber joined Mansfield Orthopaedics in 2001, when founder Dr. Glen Neale was the area’s only orthopaedic surgeon. Guided by a belief that rural Vermont patients deserved exceptional orthopaedic care without sacrificing personal connection, Dr. Huber helped establish the patient-centered approach that remains the practice’s foundation today.
Following a partnership with Copley Hospital in 2006, Mansfield Orthopaedics grew significantly through collaboration, clinical excellence, and a shared commitment to involving patients in their own care decisions. Over the years, many physicians have contributed to that growth, including Drs. Brian Aros, Joe McLaughlin, John Macy, Nick Antell, Saul Trevino, Bryan Monier, Erin Pichiotino, and Ethan Harlow.
“What Bryan built here was never about one surgeon — it was about a team that could lean on each other, cover for each other, and put patients first every time. When he got sick, that team held everything together, the way he’d always trained us to,” said Brian Aros, an orthopaedic surgeon at Copley. “And now watching him walk back through the door, after everything he’s fought through, it feels like the whole thing is coming full circle. We’re just glad to have him back at the table.”
Dr. Huber is quick to credit that team-oriented culture, built over two decades, for the practice’s success. “The strength of Mansfield Orthopaedics has always been the people,” he said. “Our success came from talented clinicians working together, sharing knowledge, and always putting patients first.”
In August 2018, at the height of his career, Dr. Huber was diagnosed with leukemia. He continued caring for patients and performing surgeries until a bone marrow transplant in 2019 required him to step back. His recovery included chemotherapy, radiation, weeks in isolation, and years of managing complications. Throughout treatment and recovery, his colleagues at Mansfield Orthopaedics ensured his patients never missed a beat, while offering him steady personal support of their own.
“When I couldn’t be there, the team stepped in seamlessly,” Dr. Huber said. “The support from colleagues, patients, and the community sustained me throughout the process.”
As he returns to practice this fall, Dr. Huber will focus on non-surgical outpatient sports medicine. While his role looks different from the one he held before his illness, he’s eager to reconnect with patients and continue contributing to the specialty he loves. “I get a tremendous amount of energy from working with patients,” he said. “Being able to return to the clinic and serve this community again is a gift.”
Dr. Huber says his experience as a patient has only deepened his commitment to compassionate care. “Going through the healthcare journey from the patient’s side has given me an even greater understanding of how important compassion, communication, and support are to healing,” he said. “I carry that with me into every patient conversation now.”
His return represents more than a personal milestone — it reflects the enduring strength of the orthopaedic program he helped build that was founded on clinical excellence, collaboration, and a lasting commitment to high-quality orthopaedic care close to home.