Ann E. Van Heest, MD

Ann Van Heest, M.D., is a professor, vice chair of education, and residency program director in the department of orthopedic surgery at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Van Heest trained at the University of Minnesota for medical school and orthopedic surgery residency, as well as the Harvard hand and upper extremity fellowship.

In her clinical practice, Dr. Van Heest sees patients at the University of Minnesota Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare and Shriners Children's. Her academic interests include neuromuscular disorders, storage disease disorders and congenital disorders of the pediatric hand and upper extremity. She is an active member of the Pediatric Hand Study Group and Congenital Hand Anomalies Study Group.

Dr. Van Heest has a strong interest in orthopedic education. She also has over 20 publications on orthopedic surgery education, with a focus on innovations in surgical simulation. She is the current chair of the ABOS GME Committee. At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Van Heest was the 2016 resident teacher of the year and 2015 hand fellowship teacher of the year, the 2011 University of Minnesota Award for Outstanding Contributions to Graduate Education and the 2010 recipient of the ACGME Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award. She has served in leadership positions at the ABOS (director), AOA (secretary), AAOS (Diversity and Health Disparities Advisory Board) and RJOS (president).