Get to know Hand and Upper Extremity Specialist Dr. David Tuckman and learn what drives his personal approach in caring for patients. He is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in treating conditions and injuries to the hand and upper extremities. Dr. Tuckman sees patients at the OAM offices in Great Neck.
What is your practice philosophy?
I am fellowship-trained in both Sports Medicine/Arthroscopy and Hand and Upper Extremity, and both specialties inform my approach to treating patients. I understand that each patient’s needs will be different. I evaluate their individual conditions, explore non-surgical approaches first when appropriate, and perform surgery when it is indicated. I believe patients have better outcomes when they feel truly heard, so I listen to their questions and concerns and explain proposed procedures and what to expect during and after treatment. I want each patient to feel comfortable, understood, and well-cared for throughout the healing and recovery process.
What made you chose to become a specialist in Hand and Upper Extremity?
I was drawn to my specialty because I am interested in biomechanics and the disease processes and injuries specific to Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, and I enjoy the challenge of diagnosing and treating diverse conditions. Whether patients require surgical or non-surgical treatments, it is very gratifying to me when I am able to help them to return to their prior levels of functioning after chronic or traumatic injuries. Their expressions of appreciation and relief when they heal validate my continued dedication to my specialty.
What trends in your specialty area do you see emerging?
My ongoing role as a teacher and mentor to surgical residents and newer attendings inspires me to continually learn as well as instruct, and one emerging trend is the use of educational surgical videos. Residents and colleagues were searching for ways to enhance and expand their surgical knowledge base, so I filmed, edited, and produced surgical videos that are now used by surgeons nationally and internationally to help them to learn and refine techniques. The future of orthopaedic surgery lies in new implant designs and concepts. I serve on international design teams, working with physicians from diverse backgrounds to design the next generation of fracture implants used by orthopaedic surgeons. The new technology we incorporate allows us to address difficult fractures in new ways, speed patients’ recovery, and improve final outcomes.
How do you stay current in your field?
I believe it is essential for doctors to be lifelong learners, so I regularly read professional medical journals and participate in local and national meetings related to my specialties. In addition to being an avid reader of medical texts, I also am involved in writing them, and have contributed research and writing to multiple publications. I am an active member of both the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the New York Society for Surgery of the Hand, where I currently serve on the Executive Board, in the Presidential line. We meet regularly to discuss current concepts and new research, and I am inspired by my colleagues to continue to learn and grow as a both a diagnostician and surgeon.
Outside of work, what are your personal interests?
Outside of my medical practice, I enjoy reading texts about engineering, physics, and computer science. I relax by cooking meals for my family, working out, and fixing anything that is broken.
