September 17, 2024

Meet Jason Strelzow, MD

Upper Extremity Specialist 

Dr. Strelzow specializes in elbow and hand trauma, trigger finger and nerve compressions and injuries, arthritis of the hand and wrist and tendon conditions of the upper extremity. He has a keen interest in acute and reconstructive problems about the elbow, forearm and wrist.

Where are you from? 

I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and then moved to the west coast of Canada for high school and my medical training. Vancouver BC, was an amazing place to live and train. The Pacific Northwest is unique in its natural beauty, amazing outdoors access and laid back attitude. As a result of growing up in Vancouver I have a soft spot for the outdoors!

What made you choose upper extremity as an orthopedic specialty? 

Hand and upper extremity was an easy choice but one that found mostly by accident. I found the anatomy fascinating and the breadth of cases challenging. As a resident I was lucky to rotate with some outstanding mentors and they really exposed me to the wonders of hand and upper extremity as a specialty. I was drawn to the unique challenges of each individual case and diversity of the problems needing solved.

What brought you to Washington University Orthopedics? 

The people. The faculty are a wonderful group of supportive, talented and accomplished individuals that have come together to make a world class program focused on improving patient care, and our specialty in general. The opportunity to join this group and Washington University, a world class institution, was a no-brainer.

What aspect of your practice do you find most rewarding? 

Seeing the differences we can in patients lives. Sometimes it is a discussion about their condition, and other times it is a complex procedure, but having made a patients life or function better is why I do what I do. I think that is why we all go into orthopedics and medicine. We are so fortunate in orthopedics to be able to physically see the impact of our care.

Is there a patient who made a lasting impact on you?

Over my career there have been many, however, I remember one vividly. This young man had injured his hand severely from a firework and had been rushed to the hospital. At first, there was concern he may lose his hand, and he required a long hospital stay and multiple surgeries. We got to know each other well over his hospital stay and the various reconstruction surgeries he needed. In the end, he was fortunate to have a functional hand that allowed him to return to school and play with his friends and brother. Despite the challenges he was always positive, remained engaged in his care and would put a smile on everyones face when he visited clinic. He is a patient I will never forget.

What's on the horizon for upper extremity care?

I future is bright in hand and upper extremity surgery. With advances in technology, and surgical techniques I think we will continue to better understand conditions and solutions for those conditions. I’m really excited for how computer learning and AI models may allow us to understand trends and data to a point where we can help better predict and chose treatments for patients, and analyze our surgical outcomes.

What is the best advice you ever received?

Don’t ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. My grandfather would always repeat this to us as kids. The motto has always stuck with me and kept me grounded.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I love the outdoors – so almost anything outside and in nature is top of the list. I’m a big fan of biking and love to explore new places by bike. I also have 2 dogs who keep me busy and are great company.

If you weren't a physician, what would you like to be doing?

I would love to be a Scuba Dive instructor. I have always loved the water, and diving and exploring underwater combines that love of the outdoors and water in the perfect way.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I have been fortunate to live in a few different countries for my medical training and work and continue to love traveling and exploring. Traveling has allowed me to experience new sights, sounds, foods and ways of life that continue to expand my perspectives.

Learn why patient's choose Washington University Orthopedics, request an appointment online or call (314) 514-3500.