2025 Vargas Award Recipient
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In this episode of Hands in Motion, host welcomes Lisa Michael, the 2025 AAHS Vargas Award recipient, to discuss her transformative mission to St. Lucia. Lisa, an experienced occupational therapist and certified hand therapist with nearly 30 years in the field, shares how the $5,000 Vargas Grant enabled her to travel and provide critical hand therapy services in an underserved region. She describes screening 160 patients in just one day, delivering hands-on training in splinting and kinesio taping, and establishing lasting telehealth connections with local therapists via WhatsApp. Her work not only treated complex cases like brachial plexus injuries and chronic non-unions but also empowered local clinicians with sustainable skills. Lisa reflects on the emotional highs—such as restoring function to a young girl with a seven-year-old pin in her wrist—and the frustrations, including surgeons restricting post-op movement despite evidence-based protocols. She is returning to St. Lucia in two weeks with the same team to deepen educational impact and build on previous relationships. The episode concludes with a call to action for hand therapists to apply for the Vargas Award, emphasizing its role in global outreach and professional growth.
The Vargas Award provides a $5,000 grant for global outreach missions, covering travel, accommodations, and supplies—ideal for therapists committed to international education.
Pre-mission communication with local teams via WhatsApp is critical for tailoring supplies, techniques, and training to meet real-world needs.
Sustainable impact comes not just from treating patients, but from teaching local clinicians techniques like splinting, taping, and evidence-based rehab protocols.
Telehealth follow-up after missions—like real-time video consultations—can bridge gaps in care and maintain continuity of treatment.
Therapists must be prepared for chaotic, high-volume environments with limited resources, but can still deliver high-impact care through adaptability and collaboration.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction to the Vargas Award and Lisa Michael
The episode opens with a welcome to the Hands in Motion podcast and introduces Lisa Michael as the 2025 Vargas Award recipient. The host outlines the award’s mission and significance.
Lisa's Career and Motivation for Global Outreach
Lisa shares her 40-year journey as an OT and 30-year career as a hand therapist, including her move to Yale to work with trauma patients. She explains her long-standing desire to give back through global missions.
The Vargas Award: Purpose and Benefits
The host details the history of the Vargas Award, established in 1997 in honor of Dr. Miguel Vargas, and explains its $5,000 grant structure, including travel, supplies, and the requirement to present at the next AHS meeting.
From Domestic to International: Choosing St. Lucia
Lisa discusses her initial plan for a domestic mission, the logistical challenges, and how she found Hand Help—a Yale-affiliated group—through a Google search and direct outreach to Dr. Thompson.
Preparation and Collaboration with St. Lucia's Team
Lisa describes pre-trip coordination with Sybil, the physiotherapy director in St. Lucia, and the process of gathering supplies from vendors and colleagues. She emphasizes the importance of aligning with local needs.
“After half an hour, he was touching his fingers to his palm and he was practically in tears. So that was so huge to be able to show them like it doesn't have to be complicated. It just has to be consistent. You just have to let the tissues speak to you.”
“I always get so much more out of a mission than I feel that I can offer anyone there. It's just such a gift to be able to participate and to be able to help people in any way.”
“The surgeon won't let him move. He's in a slink. She had the paperwork of Badafra and he said, no, you can't move.”
Host
Guest
Lisa Michael
person
St. Lucia
place
Vargas Award
other
American Association of Hand Surgery
organization
Amy
person
Hand Help
organization
Sybil
person
Guatemala Healing Hands
organization
product
Yale
organization
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