2-Hour Pre-Conference Institutes (ticketed event)

This two-hour cadaveric dissection lab offers an immersive exploration of upper arm neuroanatomy with direct clinical relevance to hand therapy practice and nerve pathways. Led by Dr. Hanley, participants will move beyond textbook illustrations to observe and interact with the actual structures they treat daily in their true anatomical relationships. The session bridges surgical and therapeutic perspectives by demonstrating operative procedures related to nerve pathology allowing therapists to deepen their understanding of what occurs in the operating room and how post-surgical anatomy informs rehabilitation decision-making. Whether you are a seasoned clinician seeking to sharpen your anatomical knowledge or an emerging hand therapist building your foundational understanding, this lab provides a rare and invaluable learning experience that cannot be replicated in the clinic or classroom.

This session will equip hand therapists with practical, accessible strategies to begin innovating within their daily clinical practice–regardless of resources, setting, or prior experience. Using real-world examples from hand therapy and rehabilitation, the presentation will demystify the innovation process by breaking it into concrete, repeatable steps rooted in quality-of-care principles. Attendees will learn how to identify meaningful clinical pain points, apply simple innovation and quality‑improvement frameworks (such as Plan-Do-Study-Act and basic design thinking), and use low‑cost tools–including AI, stakeholder interviews, and rapid prototyping–to develop solutions that enhance patient care, workflow efficiency, and interdisciplinary communication. We will include interactive activities that include problem-solving, rapid prototyping, and an opportunity to pitch their idea and gain valuable feedback to increase confidence.