David J. Wright, MD
Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Hand & wRIST Surgeon
David J. Wright, M.D., is a fellowship-trained orthopedic hand surgeon with expertise in treating all hand and wrist disorders. He serves as Assistant Clinical Professor and Associate Program Director for the Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the University of California, Irvine. He has a special interest in brachial plexus injuries and microsurgical reconstruction. Dr. Wright graduated with honors from University of California Berkeley, after which he attended medical school at the University of California Irvine. During medical school, Dr. Wright obtained an additional Master’s Degree in Biomedical and Translation Science. During his orthopedic surgery residency at University of California Irvine, Dr. Wright traveled internationally to complete the Microsurgical Training Program at Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, India. He was selected as chief resident and received the inaugural Resident Teaching Award at the completion of his residency training.
He was also selected as a resident board member for the Western Orthopedic Association. Following his orthopedic surgery residency, Dr. Wright completed a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at Washington University, St. Louis where he focused on treatment of complex hand and wrist disorders as well as complex microsurgical reconstructio
Research Interests
Dr. Wright has significant experience in both clinical and basic science research, with a focus on biomechanics and surgical education. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles. His work has been selected for presentation as national meetings for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand as well as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. He is also a reviewer for the American Journal of Hand Surgery.
Position
- Assistant Clinical Professor
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery
- University of California, Irvine
Education
- 2022-2023
Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship, Washington University St. Louis
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery - 2016-2022
Residency - Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine
Class of 2022, Research Resident 2018-2019
Administrative Chief Resident 2021-2022 - 2022-Present California Fluoroscopy Supervisor and Operator
- 2016 M.D. University of California, Irvine
- 2015
M.S., Biomedical and Translational Science
University of California, Irvine - 2010
BA Molecular Cell Biology with Honors, Emphasis in Biochemistry
University of California, Berkeley
Awards and Honors
- 2022 Resident Teaching Award
- 2021 AOA - McCollister Evarts Resident Leader
- 2019 Neer Award Manuscript Co-Author
- “Analysis of Human Muscles of the Shoulder and Upper Extremity: A Temporal Profile of Human Motor Endplate Degradation after Nerve Injury” 2018 AO Trauma North America Resident Research Grant Recipient
- “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dual Plating and Combined Nail-Plate Fixation Techniques”
- 2014 Scoliosis Research Society Grant Recipient
- “Investigating Cost Variation within Spinal Fusion Payment Groups”
- 2012 University of California Irvine School of Medicine Basic Science Award
- 2010 BA Molecular and Cell Biology with Honors
Research Positions
- Research Resident, July 2018-July 2019
- Peripheral Nerve Research Laboratory, University of California Irvine. Principal investigator: Dr. Ranjan Gupta, MD
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA. Principal investigator: Dr. Thay Lee, PhD
- Masters Thesis, Jun. 2014 - Jun. 2015, University of California Irvine, CA
- “Investigating Cost Variation within Spinal Fusion Payment Groups” Committee: Dr. Samuel Bederman, MD, PhD, FRCSC (Chair), Dr. Dana B. Mukamel, PhD, Dr. Sheldon Greenfield, MD
- Undergraduate Honors Thesis Research, Biochemistry 2008-2010, University of California Berkeley
- “Paracrine Signaling and Kinetic Characterization of Human Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (HVAP-1).” Faculty Mentor and Thesis Advisor: Dr. Judith Klinman, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry
Manuscripts in Submission
- Jung, J., Johnston, T.R., Wright, D.J., Shafiq, B., Navarro, R., Lim, P.K., Uong, J., Gupta, R. “Surgeon-Specific Factors and Initial Radiographs Have the Largest Impact on Decision-Making for the Management of Proximal Humerus Fractures” JAMA, manuscript in submission
- Scolaro, J.A., Wright, D.J., Etiz, B. “Synopsis of Knee Surgery, Chapter 11: Fractures about the Knee,” Chapter in submission
Presentations
- Wright, D.J., Lai, W., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Scolaro, J.A. “Fixation of Extra-Articular Proximal Tibia Fractures: Biomechanical Comparison of Single and Dual-Implant Constructs” Poster Presentation AAOS Annual Meeting 2022 – Chicago, IL
- Wright, D.J., Patel, N., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Scolaro, J.A. “Optimal Fixation Of The Capitellar Fragment In Distal Humerus Fractures” Podium Presentation, AAOS Annual Meeting 2021 – San Diego, CA
- Wright, D.J., Etiz, B., Scolaro, J.A. “Combined Plate-Nail Fixation of Intra-Articular Proximal Third Tibia Fractures” Virtual Presentation, OTA Annual Meeting, 2020
- Wright, D.J., Desanto, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q, Scolaro, J.A. “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dual-Plate and Plate Nail Fixation Techniques” Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, Accepted for Podium Presentation, AAOS Annual Meeting 2020 – Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19
- Wright, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Jackson, T.J. “Postoperative Range of Motion Protocol Following Arthroscopic Gluteus Medius and Minimus Repair: An Anatomic Study” Virtual Podium Presentation, WOA Annual Meeting 2020
- Wright, D.J., Patel, N., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Scolaro, J.A. “Optimal Fixation Of The Capitellar Fragment In Distal Humerus Fractures” Virtual Podium Presentation, WOA Annual Meeting 2020
- Wright, D.J., Desanto, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q, Scolaro, J.A. “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dual-Plate and Plate Nail Fixation Techniques” Podium Presentation OTA Annual Meeting 2019, Denver, CO.
- Wright, D.J., Desanto, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q, Scolaro, J.A. “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dual-Plate and Plate Nail Fixation Techniques” Podium Presentation WOA Annual Meeting 2019, Monterey, CA.
- Wright, D.J., Desanto, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q, Scolaro, J.A. “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: Nail Diameter Significantly Impacts Construct Stability in Combined Plate-Nail Constructs” Rapid Fire Presentation WOA 2019 Annual Meeting, Monterey, CA.
- Reavey, P., Hazel, A., Wright, D.J., Uong, J., Fox, P., LaPorte, D., Bozentka, D., Moore, A., Calfee, R., Rozental, T., Kakar, S., Hacquebord, J., Fufa, D., Clune, J., Gupta R. “ASSH Surgical Simulation Introduction” Podium Presentation, ASSH Annual Meeting 2019, Las Vegas, NV.
- Patel, N., Wright, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Scolaro, J.A. “Optimal Fixation Of The Capitellar Fragment In Distal Humerus Fractures” Podium Presentation, ASES Annual Meeting 2019, New York, NY Wright Page 5
- Jackson, T.J., Wright, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q. “Postoperative Range of Motion Protocol Following Arthroscopic Gluteus Medius and Minimus Repair: An Anatomic Study” Poster Presentation, ISHA Annual Meeting 2019, Madrid, Spain
- Maniglio, M., Park, I.J., Fraipont, W., Flueckiger, R., Wright, D.J., Kuenzler, M., Bolliger, L. Matthias Zumstein, M., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q. “Comparison of Ulnar Styloid Fracture Repair Techniques On The Stability Of The Distal Radio-Ulnar Joint” Presented, IFSSH 2019 Annual Meeting, Berlin, DE.
- Maniglio, M., Park, I.J., Fraipont, W., Flueckiger, R., Wright, D.J., Kuenzler, M., Bolliger, L. Matthias Zumstein, M., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q. “Critical Size of Ulnar Styloid Fracture That Leads To Instability Of The Distal Radio Ulnar Joint” Presented, IFSSH 2019 Annual Meeting, Berlin, DE.
- Wright, D.J., Mukamel, D., Greenfield, S., Bederman, S. “Investigating Cost Variation Within Spinal Fusion Payment Groups.” Poster Presentation, WOA Annual Meeting 2015, Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Wright, D.J., Mukamel, D., Greenfield, S., Bhatia, N., Bederman, S. “Validation of the ICD-9 Invasiveness Index for Spinal Fusion Surgery” Rapid Fire Presentation, WOA Annual Meeting 2016, Indian Wells, CA.
Board and Editorial Positions
- 2019-2022 - Resident Board Member – Western Orthopaedic Association Board of Directors
- 2021-Present - Reviewer – Journal of Hand Surgery
Courses and Conferences Attended
- 2022 ASSH Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
- 2021 ASSH Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA
- 2021 AOA – McCollister Evarts Resident Leadership Forum
- 2021 AAOS Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA
- 2020 Ganga Hospital Microsurgery Course, Ganga Microsurgery Training Institute, Coimbatore, India
- 2020 Ganga Hospital Clinical Observership, Coimbatore, India
- 2020 Interdisciplinary Conference on Orthopedic Value-Based Care, Newport Beach, CA
- 2019 OTA Annual Meeting, Denver, CO
- 2019 WOA Annual Meeting, Monterey, CA
- 2019 AAOS Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV
- 2019 Interdisciplinary Conference on Orthopedic Value-Based Care, Newport Beach, CA
- 2018 AO Trauma – Hand and Wrist Fracture Management Course, Irvine, CA
- 2018 Interdisciplinary Conference on Orthopedic Value-Based Care, Newport Beach, CA
- 2017 AO Basic Principles of Fracture Management, Dallas Tx
- 2016 WOA Annual Meeting, Indian Wells, CA
- 2015 WOA Annual Meeting, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Global Health Experience
- 2022 ASSH Touching Hands/World Pediatric Project – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- 2013 Floating Doctors – Bocas Del Toro, Panama
Work Experience
- 2012-2015 Anatomy Tutor, UC Irvine Medical School
- 2010-2011 Engineering Technician, Wright Scientific Optical Engineering
- 2007-2010 City of San Diego Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard
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