Orthopedic Surgeon

Orthopedic Surgeon: is educated in the preservation, investigation, and restoration of the form and function of the extremities, spine, and associated structures by medical, surgical, and physical means.

This specialist deals with patients suffering from musculosketal problems which include deformities, trauma, sports injuries, and tumors.

Orthopedic surgeons are capable in handling all aspects of musculosketal disturbances which may affect the spine, hands, feet, knee, hip, and shoulder in both children and adults.

Quick Facts

Competitiveness: Highest

Length of training: 5 years

Number of residency programs: 152

Number of residents in training: 2,955

Number in U.S. currently Board Certified in specialty: 19,474

First year median compensation: $230,000

Mean number of hours per week in patient care activities: 55.1

Residency Information

You will spend 1 year in general surgery training, followed by 4 years of orthopedic surgery training. After completing your residency, you can receive additional training in:

• Orthopaedic sports medicine- care for all structures of the musculosketal system directly affected by participation in sports.
• Surgery of the hand- surgical and rehabilitative care for all structures of the upper extremity affecting the form and function of the hand and wrist.

Why Choose

Many medical students enter orthopedic surgery because of actual experiences with the specialty. This may include observing surgical procedures, assisting with placing a cast, or seeing a surgeon use a hammer and screws to bring form to a mangled extremity.

Typical Schedule

You will be working a lot of hours in this specialty about 12 to 15 hours daily. Your day will include early hospital rounds and surgery, consultations in the emergency room, and seeing patients in your office. Unfortunately, there is a lot of paperwork in this specialty mostly for insurance forms (worker's compensation) and legal reports (testimony for lawsuits).

Your patient population is a mixture of both sexes and all ages. Many of your patients are healthy except for the particular ailment they are visiting you for and once they are back to good health, rarely will you see them again.

If You're Interested

You are going to need to know early in your medical career if you want to be an orthopedic surgeon. Residency programs will want to see that you have taken electives in the specialty and it is advantageous to do some away clerkships at the residency programs to which you will be applying.

Students need to be aware that there will be emergency call at night and problems cannot be put off until later, also the training is grueling.

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