Keith Happ Bridwell, MD
Keith Happ Bridwell, MD ’77 is the J. Albert Key Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and has served for 28 years as chief of orthopedic spine surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. He founded the Spinal Deformity Service and the Spinal Fellowship Program at Washington University.
To date, he has trained 55 spine fellows. He is world-renowned as one of the leading surgeons in the treatment of scoliosis and spinal abnormalities in adults and children.
After receiving his medical degree at Washington University School of Medicine, Bridwell began his professional career as an orthopedic intern and orthopedic surgery resident at Barnes-Jewish and affiliated hospitals. He completed a spinal deformity research fellowship at Rush Medical College, the University of Illinois, and Chicago Shriners Hospital for Children.
Since that time, Bridwell has devoted his career to patients who need complex reconstructive spine surgery and formulates the least invasive and low-risk procedure in a commitment to achieving the best outcome for each patient. He has been intimately involved in all major advances in spinal deformity surgery.
Bridwell has authored more than 350 published articles and book chapters including one of the definitive textbooks in spinal surgery, The Textbook of Spinal Surgery, three editions in total.
Bridwell’s peers elected him president of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) — the premier society for spinal deformity surgeons. He served as president of that international society in 2002-2003.
He is still very involved with the society and has sat on and/or chaired every major committee since 1982 including serving on the board of directors twice.
Among the numerous awards and honors Bridwell has received are the 2002 Russell L. Hibbs Award (Best Basic Science Paper) and the 2005 Louis A. Goldstein Award (Best Clinical Poster), both awarded by the SRS. Bridwell is a lifetime member of Marquis Who’s Who in America and has been named in the Best Doctors in America since 1999.
The Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association is pleased to present its Alumni Achievement Award to Dr. Bridwell.