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Orthopedic Hand Surgeon
Meet Dr. Derek Rapp
Board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery, Dr. Derek Rapp is also fellowship-trained in orthopaedic hand surgery to provide the best possible treatment for maladies of the hand and forearm. As a plastic surgeon, Dr. Rapp has completed intensive training in a wide range of advanced reconstructive techniques and cosmetic enhancement methods. This training has allowed him to better understand both the form and the function of anatomy. As a hand surgeon, he performs treatment for traumatic hand injuries, nerve compression, wrist fractures and injuries, and arthritis. Dr. Rapp believes each patient is an individual and he devotes time to devising a personally tailored treatment plan for every patient. Dr. Rapp is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Dr. Rapp has also attained the Certificate of Added Qualification of the Hand.
Dr. Rapp originally hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He graduated from the honors program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BS in Biology. Dr. Rapp received his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem. Next, he completed a general surgery internship at Harvard in the Beth Israel Deaconess Surgery program. He then completed his plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at Michigan State University/Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners, which is considered one of the best training programs in the field. While there, he worked on a variety of research projects including the development of a novel antioxidant-based wound treatment, which is undergoing current study. As a resident, Dr. Rapp was appointed as a resident member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Quality and Performance Committee, a position he held for two years. His interest in orthopedic care led Dr. Rapp to then complete his Fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In addition to his responsibilities at our practice, Dr. Rapp is currently a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and candidate member of American Society for Surgery of the Hand, as well as a member of the American Medical Association.
In his personal life, Dr. Rapp enjoys spending time with his wife and their daughter. His other interests include cooking and exercising.