David Colen, MD
Biography
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Biography
Dr. David Colen is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine who specializes in upper and lower extremity reconstruction. Dr. Colen is fellowship-trained in Hand Surgery and Microsurgery, and has a passion for treating a variety of congenital and acquired disorders of the hand and wrist as well as traumatic and oncologic defects of the extremities.
Dr. Colen attended the University of Virginia where he obtained undergraduate degrees in Neuroscience and Spanish linguistics, as well as his Doctor of Medicine. He then matriculated into the integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania, a program renowned for Reconstructive Microsurgery and Orthoplastic Surgery. At Penn, Dr. Colen was an active member of the Hand Transplantation Program who took part in three bilateral hand transplants, including the world's first and only bilateral pediatric hand transplant, during his tenure. Following residency, Dr. Colen completed a one-year fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospitals at Harvard Medical School, where he focused on adult orthopedic and congenital pediatric hand surgery as well as reconstructive microsurgery of the extremities.
Dr. Colen strives to obtain the best functional outcomes for his patients, and is committed to both patient care and the furthering of the field of reconstructive surgery through academic and clinical research. The author of various textbook chapters and research articles regarding hand and extremity reconstruction, Dr. Colen's research interests include optimizing outcomes following traumatic and congenital hand reconstruction and improving hand function after tendon injury or infection.
Education & Training
- Fellow - Hand and MicrosurgeryBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School (2020)
- Resident - Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryUniversity of Pennsylvania (2019)
- Intern - SurgeryUniversity of Pennsylvania (2014)
- MDUniversity of Virginia, School of Medicine (2013)
- BAUniversity of Virginia, Neuroscience, Spanish (2009)
Activities
- Expanding Indications of Vascularized Bone GraftingFort Worth, TX, United States 2024JPS Health Network, Department of Orthopedic Surgery Grand Rounds
- Review of Whole and Modified Allografts Used ClinicallyNassau, New Providence, Bahamas 2024World Society of Reconstructive Transplantation Symposium
- Training Physicians, not Technicians: Let’s Teach ProfessionalismToronto, ON, Canada 2023American Society for Surgery of the Hand
- Early Challenges in Orthoplastic SurgeryPhiladelphia, PA, United States 2023Penn Flap Course
- The Reconstructive Escalator and the Lower ExtremityZoom Grand Rounds 2023Grand Rounds: Eastern Virginia Medical School Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Out on a Limb: Progressive Principles in Lower Extremity ReconstructionNew Haven, CT, United States 2023Grand Rounds
- The Evolution of the HandNew Haven, CT, United States 2022Grand Rounds
- The Medial Femoral Condyle: Expanding Indications of Vascularized Bone TransferNew Haven, CT, United States 2022Orthopedic Surgery Grand Rounds
Honors & Recognition
Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
Young Leader | American Society for Surgery of the Hand | 2022 |
Young Leader | American Society for Surgery of the Hand | 2022 |
Helping Hand Award | Yale Surgery | 2021 |
Owen Langsteen Award for Research Excellence | American College of Surgeons | 2016 |
Alpha Omega Alpha | University of Virginia School of Medicine | 2013 |
Phi Beta Kappa | University of Virginia | 2009 |
Professional Service
Organization | Role | Date |
---|---|---|
Young Leaders Program, American Society for Surgery of the Hand | Member | 2022 - Present |
Journal of Hand Surery | Reviewer | 2022 - Present |
Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery | Reviewer | 2022 - Present |
Frontiers in Surgery | Guest Editor | 2022 - Present |
American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Ethics and Professionalism Committee | Committee Member | 2021 - Present |
Yale Children's Hospital, Patient Experience | Member | 2021 - Present |
Annals of Plastic Surgery | Reviewer | 2021 - Present |
Orthoplastic Surgery Journal | Editorial Board Member | 2021 - Present |
American Society of Plastic Surgeons | Member | 2021 - Present |
Orthoplastic Surgery | Reviewer | 2021 - Present |
HAND Journal | Reviewer | 2017 - Present |
Departments & Organizations
- Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery
- Hand and Microsurgery Program
- Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
- Surgery
- Yale Medicine