Jennifer Moriatis Wolf named president of largest hand surgical society

Jennifer Moriatis Wolf, MD,PhD, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, has been named president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), the oldest and largest medical specialty society in the United States devoted to the care of the hand. She is the 77th president of the society and its second female president.

Wolf is a renowned orthopaedic hand surgeon with expertise in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of bone, nerve, tendon and ligament injuries caused by trauma or overuse. She provides comprehensive care to treat pain and restore form and function in the hand, wrist and elbow. She is also highly skilled in the surgical removal of tumors of the upper extremity, partnering with orthopaedic oncologists to achieve the best possible outcomes.

A devoted educator and mentor, Wolf shares her expertise with fellows, residents and medical students, and is the director of the hand surgery fellowship at the University of Chicago. She is also active in research, focusing on basic research in osteoarthritis and clinical research in atypical nerve compression, lateral epicondylitis and basilar thumb joint arthritis.

Wolf previously served on the ASSH board as member-at-large and treasurer. She has also received its prestigious Bunnell Fellowship, named after one of the society’s founders, Sterling Bunnell. During World War II, the U.S. surgeon general asked Bunnell to organize regional hand centers to treat soldiers needing reconstructive hand surgery. He later founded the society with 35 other hand surgeons, holding their first meeting in Chicago in 1946.

Today, ASSH has more than 3,800 members from around the globe, including orthopaedic, plastic and general surgeons, and various allied health care professionals. Members and volunteers work to improve the care of hand through research, education and exceptional service to our members.