2021 Happy Hour with a Scholar Recap

The American Hand Therapy Foundation held the annual “Happy Hour with a Scholar” event in conjunction with the ASHT Hybrid Annual Meeting on Friday, October 8, 2021 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis, MO.

Jim King, OTR, PhD, CHT, Chairperson of the AHTF welcomed the in-person and virtual attendees and thanked the AHTFs Co-Sponsors for their generous support of the AHTF’s signature fundraising event.

This year’s Honoree was Susan Mackinnon, M.D., F.R.C.S.(C), F.A.C.S., the Minot Packer Fryer Professor of Plastic Surgery in the Washington School of Medicine and Chief of the Department of Plastic Surgery from 1996-2020.

Her Scholar lecture was “No Crying in Innovation” which reviewed how major paradigms in nerve surgery have shifted from nerve repairs to grafting to transfers. Dr. Mackinnon described her translational research in the context of dissemination and implementation science. She reviewed how major paradigms in nerve surgery have shifted from nerve repairs to grafting to transfers. As well, Dr. Mackinnon discussed how diffusion of information occurs and how education and outreach can encourage the dissemination and implementation of surgical innovation in nerve surgery. Specifically, in the lecture, she covered the supercharge nerve transfer from basic science research to being performed in practice by early adaptors.

The lecture was well attended and became a record-breaking fundraising event! The AHTF Board of Directors look forward to hosting the 2022 “Happy Hour with a Scholar” in Washington DC on October 14th. We welcome Co-Sponsors (this can be an individual, a combination of individuals, a special interest group, business, university, or association) for 2022!