A Career In Orthopedic Surgery

859 Words2 Pages

Orthopedic surgery is the branch of surgery that deals with the musculoskeletal system, otherwise known as the locomotor system. The branch addresses physical injuries, often from sports, of the skeletal and muscular variety. A fracture, a break, a muscle tear - these are all issues that an orthopedic surgeon deals with. Doctors and medicine men have practiced orthopedic surgery for thousands of years under different names, and its evolution over the centuries has saved and repaired many lives. The need for orthopedic surgery, the details of the job, and the education required in this career path are all necessary to know in order to have a firm grasp on what this career entails.
Orthopedic surgery is an extremely vital part of the medical …show more content…

A high school diploma is the first educational obstacle to be achieved. Once a diploma is obtained, one must complete four years of college to reach a bachelor's degree before completing four years of medical school. Although medical schools do not require a specific major for acceptance, taking a number of prerequisites for this career path is highly advised. Aspiring students must take an MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) to be accepted into medical school. After four years of medical school, an internship is started, which is the stage (usually lasting a year) in which a medical degree is acquired, but a license to practice medicine unsupervised is not granted yet. A residency begins after the internship is completed. A residency for an orthopedic surgeon will last four or five years at a hospital, and is not the end of the long and tedious road, but yet another beginning. Surgeons are often paid around $45,000 annually at the start of an orthopedic residency. (“The Salary for an Orthopedic Surgery Residency”) Surgeons then earn a medical degree and the right to practice medicine unsupervised, however most residents are supervised by attending physicians at hospitals during a residency. Also during a residency, orthopedic surgeons can pick their specialty, from which they have a wide variety to choose from, including arthroplasty, spinal, and surgical sports medicine. In addition to all …show more content…

Orthopedic surgery is one of the most valuable branches of the medical industry. The position is a necessity for the elderly, athletes, and anyone who happens to sustain damage to their musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgery is a demanding job with long, unpredictable hours, but it is rewarded with high compensation. To become an orthopedic surgeon, one must go through many years of education: high school, college, medical school, complete an internship, and go through a residency before choosing a

More about A Career In Orthopedic Surgery

Open Document