Orthopedic surgery is one of the most competitive and rewarding medical specialties, mainly focused on improving the lives of patients with mobility issues. Whether it is a sports injury, fracture, sprain, back pain, joint discomfort, disc relocation, or deformity, the orthopedic surgeons can treat a broad array of disorders and injuries.
Orthopedic surgery is a diverse medical field that provides medical graduates with an in-depth knowledge of the musculoskeletal system. You will learn how to diagnose and treat different musculoskeletal infections such as arthritis, neuromuscular disorders, pediatric deformities, ligament sprains, joint disability, nerve injuries, and much more. Orthopedic specialty is divided into a number of subspecialties as it covers a diverse range of disorders. You can choose to specialize in sports medicine, musculoskeletal oncology, pediatric orthopedics, upper extremity, lower extremity, spine surgery, trauma, and many more.
Becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon
Choosing orthopedic surgery allows you to develop a strong foundation of anatomy, mechanics, physiology of the human body. You will learn about everything related to muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessels within all parts of the musculoskeletal system. During medical school, students develop a better understanding of the mechanism of injury and learn how to diagnose and manage orthopedic injuries.
Orthopedic surgeons are trained to treat a variety of common injuries and disorders. They can figure out the mechanical problem caused due to injury and create a perfect treatment plan to correct the abnormality. The treatment plan includes medications, physical therapy, and sometimes surgeries, depending on the severity of the problem.
Orthopedic surgery is a challenging and exciting field as it allows you to repair, reconstruct, replace injured tendons, bones, joints. Choosing orthopedic surgery is a worthwhile idea for medical students as it is one of the best-paying medical specialties in the U.S. Furthermore, orthopedics is a constantly evolving medical field that provides medical graduates with exciting opportunities to improve their skills and clinical knowledge.
Education Timeline, Residency and Fellowship Training
If you want to become an orthopedic surgeon, you need to complete an undergraduate premedical degree in order to gain admission in a medical school and get an M.D. degree. All doctors are required to get into a medical school to complete a four-year M.D. program. During medical school, third and fourth-year medical students have to complete a series of clinical rotations before choosing the orthopedics residency program. During this period of time, medical students get exposure to this diverse specialty.
After completing your medical school journey, you are required to pursue an orthopedic surgery residency program that will take approximately four to five years. After completing a residency program in orthopedic surgery, you can obtain a fellowship training of one to two years in a specific type of surgery before beginning your practice.
Multiple Choices and Opportunities
Orthopedic surgery provides medical students with a number of subspecialties. Most residents decide to pursue a fellowship after completing residency training. Orthopedic surgery allows you to choose from a variety of clinical choices, including trauma, sports medicine, spine surgery, pediatric orthopedics, and much more.
- Trauma
As an orthopedic surgeon, you are responsible for saving patients with traumatic injuries and deal with fractures and dislocations of the bones of the upper and lower extremities. Most orthopedic surgeons spend the majority of their time in the operation theater to deal with emergency cases and evaluate patients for possible emergency surgery. Many medical schools are affiliated with trauma centers to provide students with hands-on training to manage intra-articular fractures at the elbow, shoulder, knee, and hip.
- Bone, Muscle, and Joint
The orthopedic subspecialty involves the treatment of disorders and injuries related to the upper and lower extremities. In order to deal with these issues, orthopedic surgeons should have a thorough understanding of the musculoskeletal system. You know everything about muscle, nerve, blood vessels for proper diagnosis and management of injuries related to muscles, joints, bones, and spine. While studying this subspeciality, orthopedic residents learn how to treat a diverse range of musculoskeletal infections. They will also learn how to deal with herniated discs, osteoporosis, arthritis, neuromuscular disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, neoplasms, and much more.
- Orthopedic Oncology
Orthopedic oncology or ortho tumor is a specialty that allows you to deal with tumors of soft tissues and bones. Orthopedic surgeons who deal with the spine, pelvis and extremities tumors work in collaboration with pathologists, radiologists, and other cancer doctors.
- Sports Medicine
Students interested in choosing orthopedic specialties can choose a career in sports medicine. By pursuing a fellowship in this subspecialty, you will manage different sports-related injuries from medical and surgical points of view. Orthopedic surgeons deal with injuries related to the elbow, shoulder, foot, ankle, ligaments, and tendons. Many orthopedic residents who complete a sports medicine fellowship get the opportunity to provide care and treatment to professional athletes.
Orthopedic Surgery – A Demanding Field
Orthopedic surgery is a highly demanding specialty that requires years of education, training, and competency to work in this field. Candidates interested in pursuing an orthopedic surgery residency program are advised to improve their academic performance and clinical skills. It is one of the most competitive residencies to obtain. According to the orthopedic residency program directors, only intelligent medical students with extraordinary credentials, such as medical school grades, strong recommendation letters, high USMLE scores, and excellent performance in clinical rotations.
Are You Ready to Choose an Orthopedic Surgery?
Orthopedic surgery is a diverse and interesting medical specialty that involves robotic surgery, gene manipulation, and medical therapeutics. Orthopedic surgeons constantly learn about cutting-edge technologies related to growing cartilage, tissue, and bones. You will find a number of lucrative career opportunities in different healthcare settings and deal with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and traumatic injuries.
If you have finally decided to become an orthopedic surgeon, enroll at Windsor University School of Medicine and prepare yourself for an orthopedic residency program.
