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Physicians List Thomas J. Graham, M.D. • Chief, Curtis National Hand Center • Vice-Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Union Memorial Hospital • Director, MedStar SportsHealth |
| 1. Training • High School: Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • College: Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts • Medical School: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio • Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan • Fellowships: Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, The Indiana Hand Center; Elbow Surgery, The Mayo Clinic 2. Your Subspecialty Interests • Complex reconstructions of the hand, wrist and elbow • Congenital Hand Surgery • Sophisticated Elbow Surgery: Total Elbow Replacement; Contracture Release; Reconstruction for instability or nonunion; Elbow problems in throwing athletes • Care of Athlete's hand, wrist and elbow 3. Philosophy on Teaching The glue that holds this large group together and has perpetuated this Hand Center over nearly 60 years has been the commitment to teaching and scientific inquiry. The responsibility of training the future leaders of Hand Surgery is equaled by the rewards we realize by sending forth highly-trained and caring physicians to work locally, regionally and across the nation. It is this unique environment that fosters life-long learning and dedication. 4. What it means to you to work at the National Hand Center It is a singular honor to be the Chief of one of the world’s oldest and largest centers of Hand Surgery excellence. My partners are simply the most talented and dedicated collection of specialists in the field and have distinguished themselves in every facet of Hand Surgery. Our ability to diagnose and treat upper extremity problems has no boundary, as every facet of the specialty is covered here with unparalleled experience. We never forget that we work at your National Hand Center. 5. What Contributions you have made to the Specialty I have been fortunate to work along side some of the most important Hand Surgeons in the history of the specialty. As a result, we have been responsible for some interesting and impactful contributions in the fields of reconstruction after trauma, congenital hand reconstruction, complex elbow disorders and care of the professional athlete’s hand and wrist. On a personal level, touching the lives of dozens of residents and fellows probably makes the greatest impact, as these trainees become clinical and scientific superstars of the future. I am equally as proud to have taken a lead role in designing and implementing concepts that are focused on the patient’s experience as they progress through their medical journey. Combining excellence in clinical care, teaching and striving for the optimal patient experience is focus of our dedication at the National Hand Center. 6. Interests outside of Medicine I am blessed with a great family and have found enough time and talent to remain competitive in golf after playing in college. I find plenty of opportunity to pursue my other passion, anatomic drawing, as this has come in handy when I am explaining the complexities of the hand to patients. Sports are much more than a casual interest for our family. As we have had the rare opportunity to take part in the care of hundreds of professional athletes over the years, the doctor-patient relationship has evolved into many great friendships and we remain avid fans of our former patients. There is rarely a weekend that one of our former patients is not participating in a game or tournament. 7. Your dedication to the patient’s experience at the Hand Center Medicine is the ultimate service industry. The patient’s level of satisfaction is judged not only by the clinical outcome, but by the totality of the experience. Although it remains increasingly challenging to provide the optimal level of service in today’s healthcare environment, we are always trying to improve and seek the input of patients and colleagues in order to maximize all elements of care. 8. Comments about our colleagues/what it is like to work in a large single specialty practice It is a distinct privilege to be associated with the largest group of Hand Surgeons in the world, especially because each is a superstar in the field and a great friend. It is fascinating that, even in a subspecialty as specific as Hand Surgery, we all bring our own particular interest and expertise to our practices. The environment of collegiality is unequalled in our field and maybe in all of medicine – nothing distracts this group from their dedication to the patients and trainees. 9. Where you see the future of Hand Surgery Going Besides being one of the oldest and most well-organized surgical specialties, Hand Surgery remains a dynamic and demanding technical and intellectual challenge. Integration of new scientific procedural discoveries will always push the specialty forward, but the basic concepts of dedication to the patient, and sharing information will always be the cornerstones of the field. |