Michael W. Kessler, MD, MPH, FAOA , is the chief, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand Surgery of the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute and performs surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. A highly skilled and double Board Certified (Orthopaedic Surgery & Hand Surgery)  hand and upper extremity surgeon, he completed his orthopaedic residency at North Shore/Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY, where he was elected academic chief resident and obtained extensive training managing a broad spectrum of orthopaedic cases. He then completed a hand, microvascular, and upper extremity surgery fellowship at the Philadelphia Hand Center and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, where he gained specialized training in the surgical and nonsurgical management of various hand and upper extremity conditions.

During his training, Dr. Michael Kessler has cared for a variety of professional sports organizations, including the New Jersey Devils, Association of Tennis Professionals, Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers. Dr. Kessler has been a consulting hand surgeon for the D.C. United, and currently works with the Georgetown University Athletic Department and as a  consultant for the Marymount University, Catholic University and Gallaudet University Athletic departments. He also serves as a consultant to the Washington D.C. Police & Fire Clinic.  Dr. Kessler has received multiple awards for his clinical and basic science research, including the prestigious Joseph H. Boyes Award from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand in 2009.

Dr. Kessler serves as the Orthopaedic Residency Program Director at MedStar Georgetown Univeristy Hospital and as Medical Director of the OT/Certified Hand Therapy (CHT) program at Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital.

With a patient-centered approach to care, Dr. Michael Kessler's areas of expertise include:

• Hand and wrist conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome
• Elbow conditions
• Advanced arthroscopic techniques
• Complex reconstructions
• Tendon and nerve lacerations
• Care of traumatic injuries including fractures and joint dislocations

Michael Kessler, MD - In the News

• MyGeorgetownMD - Health Newsletter (Summer 2017) MedStar Georgetown Orthopaedist Shuts Down Spasticity
• Wide Awake Surgery (NBC4) - June 2015
• Doctors Issue Warning After Boy Bitten by Snake (NBC4)  - May 2015
• Dr. Kessler was listed as a Washingtonian Top Doctor -  2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
• Dr. Kessler was selected as an Orthopaedic Surgeon to know by Marquis Who's Who in 2020

Dr. Kessler's Philosophy of Care
Not all patients who come to my office require surgery. However, they all require well thought out, respectful, and individualized care. During the course of an office visit, we will come to understand the nature of their problem or injury, its anatomic basis, and its effect on the individual's activities. Nonoperative treatment is often sufficient and is begun at that first office visit. When surgery is indicated, it is tailored to the individual, their underlying diagnosis, and the demands of their daily lives. Maximizing function, minimizing recovery time, and assuring a durable reconstruction remain the goals for all of my patients whether they be avid gardeners, or professional athletes.

Michael W. Kessler, MD, MPH, FAOA, Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association

We congratulate fellowship-trained hand surgeon Michael W. Kessler, MD, MPH, FAOA, newly inducted as a Fellow of The American Orthopaedic Association on June 27, 2019.

The American Orthopaedic Association is the oldest and most distinguished orthopedic association in the world. The FAOA designation after a surgeon’s name means the surgeon has achieved recognition for exceptional accomplishments and leadership within their orthopedic specialty. Membership is earned, and comes at the end of a stringent peer-reviewed process. Fewer than 10% of practicing orthopedic surgeons have achieved AOA membership.