By day, Hopkins alumnus Melvin Rosenwasser is professor of hand surgery at Columbia University and chief of the Orthopaedic Hand andd Trauma service at New York Presbyterian Hospital. But any time of the night he can be called upon to fulfill his role as hand consultant to the New York Yankees.
And last weekend, Rosenwasser hung up the Christmas lights outside his Palisades, N.Y. home. "He even takes the trash out," gushed Rosenwasser's wife, who has known him since 11th grade and during his years at Hopkins, which he graduated from in 1972 with a B.A. in Natural Science.
"He is the smartest man I have ever known," she praised, explaining that "he reads voraciously: newspapers, magazines, everything he can get his hands on. He especially likes civil war history books."
When asked how often she really spends time with her ambitious husband, Mrs. Rosenwasser shrugged, "He loves his family and he loves his home. And he is so giving of himself and his time." In addition to being a father of four and a proud owner of a west highland terrier, Rosenwasser serves as a hand consultant to the New York Yankees.
Rosenwasser, a long-time baseball fan, now holds the hands of some of the best baseball players in the world, on one of the most beloved teams in the world. His purview -- from the elbow to the fingertips -- makes him particularly essential to the Yankees' pitching staff.
Under the leadership of team physician Stuart Hershon, Rosenwasser and his colleagues are charged with evaluating all Yankees players and potential players, even those in the franchise's minor leagues.
Locally, Rosenwasser is currently serving as president-elect of the New York Society for Surgery of the Hand. He has also been co-principal investigator on numerous NIH grants and awards. Dr. Rosenwasser has had numerous publications on surgery of the upper extremity as well as trauma-related surgery for both upper and lower extremities.
His specialties of orthopaedic hand and trauma surgery combine to make him a unique specialist in that he can accommodate any traumatic orthopaedic extremity problem (i.e. trauma to the hands and arms) as well as arthritis and other congenital issues.
Graduating in 1968 as the Salutatorian of his Montgomery, N.Y. High School, Rosenwasser was placed on New York Magazine's "The Best Doctors In New York" Hall of Fame 20 years later.
He holds the academic title of Robert E. Carroll Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has also been featured in the compilation "America's Top Doctors."
Rosenwasser's office coordinator, Annette, had nothing but praises to offer: "He's straightforward, honest and friendly. He's a great guy, all-around."
Apparently the academic community feels similarly, as Rosenwasser has lectured nationally and internationally and has acted as chairman of many national and local hand trauma meetings.
He has also been involved closely with clinical trials of some of the most cutting-edge surgical products in the orthopaedic arena. Most recently, he consulted for a device specialized for the repair of multiple bone fractures.
Another hand trauma device he consulted on was cleared for production by the Food and Drug Administration in 2003.
Equally rewarding is his work as the hand specialist for the Yankees. Among the players Rosenwasser has examined and advised is pitcher Kevin Brown, who turned to the doctor to help with a broken left hand which he had sustained after punching a dugout wall in frustration.
Though hailed by sportswriters and critics as temperamental and egotistical, he was duly treated by Rosenwasser, who used pins to repair the damage to the bones. Rosenwasser's FDA approved device is specialized to streamline this process and make it minimally invasive.
Later in 2004 he treated star hitter Gary Sheffield, who tore a ligament in his right thumb while sliding into second base. Thanks to Rosenwasser's intervention, Sheffield was able to recuperate without surgery.
In 2003, Rosenwasser treated Derek Jeter for a torn ligament in his left thumb. Earlier in his career, he also assisted star Don Mattingly, who would go on to become the Yankee's hitting coach.
Rosenwasser has been lauded by sportswriters and fans alike, both of whom are gratified that he gets their favorite players rehabilitated and back on their feet in service of the Yankee Nation.
