Get to know Dr. Ashley Burlage, hand and upper extremity surgeon, who joined Orthopaedic Associates of Manhasset in August 2022. Dr. Burlage is currently seeing patients at the OAM Great Neck and Commack locations and will be seeing patients at the new Huntington location starting this fall.
Tell us about your ties to the Huntington community.
I was born in Huntington Hospital and grew up here! You can trace my mother’s side of the family back seven generations to this incredible town. I received a wonderful education through the Huntington School District as did my husband and nearly all of our extended family. I’ve enjoyed watching Huntington Hospital grow over the years. Today, Huntington Hospital provide the highest quality care while maintaining the warmth of a community hospital. My husband and I are extremely grateful and proud to call Huntington our home and are excited to raise our three children here.
Why did you choose to join OAM Huntington?
I trained under many of the OAM physicians during my residency. I have a tremendous amount of respect for such world-class surgeons and am honored to now work alongside them. OAM is a prestigious group and well-known throughout Nassau County. I am excited to bring this level of care and expertise to the greater Huntington area so I can continue to help the people of this community, which I love and respect so dearly.
What do you love most about Huntington?
It’s the best town in America! So many people that grow up in Huntington will understandably return to live, work and raise their families here. Huntington is a town that celebrates diversity, values tradition, and embraces community. It has a bustling downtown, tons of restaurants, concert venues, beautiful parks, boating, fishing, beaches and more!
What is your patient philosophy?
My goal is to achieve a functional outcome. I always aim to employ treatment strategies that will minimize my patients’ pain and result in the highest function. The most effective treatment is not always surgery! In most cases, I seek to exhaust all conservative measures before recommending surgical treatment.
Why should people see a hand specialist?
My sub-specialty training in hand and upper extremity has allowed me to develop the expertise to treat issues specific to the hand, elbow, arm and shoulder. Patients come to see me directly or after first consulting with their primary care physician depending on the nature of their condition. For example, it makes sense to come see me directly for acute injuries such as fractures, sprains, tendon injuries or lacerations. The hand is an intricate part of the body – and one that we rely on nearly every minute of every day! If you are having hand pain, it’s important to be treated by a specialist who has extensive training to diagnose and to treat this essential body part effectively.
How did you get interested in hand surgery?
In medical school, I was assigned to two weeks of hand surgery and I instantly fell in love with it. That sparked my interest in the field of orthopedics, and I have never looked back. A career in orthopedics is both challenging and rewarding and I am so fortunate to love what I do!
About Dr. Burlage
Dr. Burlage is an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopaedic Associates of Manhasset, specializing in hand and upper extremity. Please call her office at (516) 627-8717 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment online.
