Rina Chawla, OTR, CHT, MPH owned a private hand therapy practice in New York for over 30 years before closing her clinical practice in 2019. An ASHT member since 1978 and CHT since 1991, she dedicated her professional career to treating patients as well as mentoring other clinicians.

ASHT educational courses were instrumental in her skill development as a therapist, and through the Rina Chawla Education Fund, she now wishes to share the types of educational opportunities she was able to receive with clinicians with limited access. Her hope is to put ASHT on the “world map” as a provider of the highest level of evidence based clinical education.

Her desire to have an international impact began with her learning about Leprosy patients during her education in the 1950’s in India. After later becoming an occupational therapist, she learned about the innovative work of Dr. Paul Brand, and began working with leprosy and polio patients in India at the beginning of her career. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet Dr. Brand later in her career at an ASHT Annual Meeting!

After moving to New York in 1973, she became an influential therapist in the New York City area. She served in therapy roles at Bellevue Hospital, and Metropolitan Hospital before becoming the Chief of OT at Metropolitan Hospital. During her work at Metropolitan Hospital, she overcame considerable barriers to establish a niche role in post op / OR orthosis fabrication. Establishing close relationships with hand surgeons and educating them on the importance of hand therapy created expanded roles for many hand therapists in the New York area. Her clinical expertise enabled her to serve as a role model and mentor.

In 1989 she opened her own private practice as well as began serving as a mentor in the New York hand therapy community. Her emphasis on clinical excellence, evidence based practice, research, and education enabled her to significantly impact the lives of her patients. She also served as president of the New York regional CHOT Hand Group which helped educate therapists throughout the region,

Her successful career was built on attaining clinical education through ASHT, and building and sharing knowledge in her local hand therapy community. Her annual attendance at ASHT meetings and other CE courses helped develop her expertise, and she now wishes to make sure others are exposed to similar opportunities.