Biography
Ian Chow, MD is a board-eligible Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, fellowship-trained in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery. His area of specialization includes management of all conditions of the hand, wrist, and forearm with special emphasis on microvascular upper and lower extremity reconstruction and limb salvage. Through his training, he has extensive experience with upper and lower extremity nerve reconstruction including the management and reconstruction of the brachial plexus, other peripheral nerve injuries throughout the body, and the management of neuropathic pain following amputation. He is proud to offer a variety of procedures under WALANT (wide-awake local anesthetic with no tourniquet) to maximize patient comfort and return to function while minimizing the risk of general anesthesia. His practice philosophy is to work with the patient in developing a treatment plan that is best suited to their goals and desires while providing care in a safe, ethical, and evidence-focused fashion.
He received his undergraduate degree in Economics at the prestigious Northwestern University near Chicago, IL graduating cum laude. He then matriculated to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine for completion of his medical degree as a member of the Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME). He completed a research year while in medical school performing basic science research under an Armed Forces in Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) grant studying tissue engineering while also performing clinical outcomes research. He graduated medical school summa cum laude with an additional honor in research, magna cum laude in scientia experimentali. He then went on to complete his Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the #1 ranked residency program in the nation (Doximity Residency Rankings). He completed his Hand, Upper Extremity, and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina under the direction of Dr. R. Glenn Gaston, a former graduate of the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center!
Dr. Chow is an avid researcher with over 27 peer-reviewed publications and 50 presentations on the local, regional, and national stage. He has received numerous awards for his research work. He has written multiple book chapters including work on the management of wrist arthritis and the ideal treatment algorithms for patients undergoing trans-radial amputation. He has a passion for education and is excited to be joining as faculty in one of the largest and oldest training programs for specialization in Hand, Upper Extremity, and Microvascular Surgery. Dr. Chow recently traveled to Madrid, Spain to work with a world-renowned expert in thumb reconstruction using free tissue transplantation with Dr. Paco Piñal. During his fellowship, Dr. Chow was awarded the Daniel Lewis Blue Collar Award in recognition of being the hardest working fellow of his fellowship class and looks forward to working tirelessly with his patients to achieve the best possible outcomes possible.
Dr. Chow is excited to move back to the Mid-West after completion of his post-graduate medical training and is excited to make Indiana his home. Outside of work, Dr. Chow enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, wine, building computers, and is a self-avowed nerd enjoying reading fantasy and science-fiction.
More About Dr. Chow
When did you know you were going to be a healthcare provider?
I knew I wanted to be a physician when I was ten years old. I lived with elderly grandparents and would need to go with them to doctor’s appointments to help translate and provide information to both of my working parents. They often had a difficult time understanding their medical problems and how medications were going to treat those problems. Seeing their quality of life gradually decline as I grew up motivated me to pursue a career in health care. Hand Surgery was a perfect fit for me as it gives me the opportunity to diagnose and work with patients in understanding their diagnosis while pursuing treatments that improve their quality of life and get back to activities important to them.
How would you describe your approach to patient care?
Patient-centric. Not every problem needs to be managed operatively or at all. My goal is to work with patients to establish a diagnosis, discuss potential treatment options, and decide on a treatment plan that best fits with their lifestyle and their goals. The most important thing to me Is that patients walk away satisfied with their understanding of their upper extremity problem and feel engaged as the most Important member of the treatment team.
What do you want patients to know about you, your medical career, or your specialty?
Patients don't often realize that nearly 20% of all hand surgeons did their residency training in Plastic Surgery, and that some of the earliest innovators in Hand Surgery were Plastic Surgeons. Precise management of incisions, respect for soft tissues, and microsurgical techniques are some of the cornerstones of Plastic Surgery education and are essential in Hand Surgery. I believe that my training as a Plastic Surgeon both enhances and complements my training as a Hand Surgeon and only helps to serve my patients.
Education
Undergrad
Northwestern University
Medical School
Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Residency
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Fellowship
OrthoCarolina: Hand, Upper Extremity, and Microvascular Surgery