SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 11, 2023) -- The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is delighted to announce that Aarti Deshpande, MS, clinical manager of the UCSF Orthotic & Prosthetic Center at Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG), has been nominated as a new board member of USISPO (United States Member Society of the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics), a significant milestone in her journey of promoting healthcare for individuals with physical disabilities.
As a board member, Deshpande ‘s goal is to create and expand a global network of healthcare and clinicians who are passionate about raising awareness, contributing to international outreach, fostering education, conducting research, and supporting sustainable healthcare practices worldwide.
"I have a passion for global outreach work,” Deshpande said. “For me, global outreach includes a hybrid approach, a mix of providing clinical care to patients where healthcare is not available, offering resources to existing facilities and providers in resource-scarce regions, and facilitating the transfer and exchange of clinical and technical knowledge. This approach seeks to improve healthcare worldwide and empower local facilities to become self-sufficient, with the ultimate goal of ensuring accessible and high-quality sustainable healthcare in all corners of the world."
"As someone who has focused tremendous effort on improving education and clinical care in underserved populations across the globe, Aarti is well positioned to help lead the ISPO board to new areas of discovery and programmatic development," said Matthew Garibaldi, CPO, Director of the UCSF Orthotic and Prosthetics Centers.
Deshpande 's dedication to international outreach is not a recent endeavor. Her previous contributions include:
- Participating as a Prosthetic Mentor and Team member of the US ISPO's first student service trip to Belize in association with Prosthetic Hope International Belize (PHIB) from August 14 to August 21, 2018. During this mission, Deshpande and her team completed the fitting of 11 legs, 1 arm, 18 repairs, and 25 pre-prosthetic consults, with the participation of 5 O&P students and 5 PT students.
- Participating as a Prosthetic Mentor through US ISPO with Hughes International Clinics in Colombia in May 2019, where Deshpande and her team fitted 25 patients in just one week.
- She served as a Prosthetic Mentor and Team member with Hughes International Clinic in collaboration with Crimal Clinic in Queretaro, Mexico.
“Aarti's tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of individuals with physical disabilities have made her an invaluable asset to our organization and the field of orthotics and prosthetics. We look forward to witnessing her continued contributions and leadership on the board of USISPO,” Garibaldi added.