Training of an Orthopedic Surgeon

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor who focuses on the musculoskeletal systems of the human body. Sports injuries, tumors, hereditary disorders, degenerative conditions and accidental trauma are all concerns that an orthopedic surgeon commonly addresses. Because they are surgeons, many of their remedies involve the operating room and scalpel. The word "orthopedic" was derived from the Greek words that meant "straighten the child." Where an orthodontist straightens teeth, an orthopedist straightens the skeleton. 

Just how much training does an orthopedic surgeon have? The education of this classification of physician may vary depending on the country they are licensed to practice medicine in. In the United States, an orthopedic surgeon will have completed four years of undergraduate work at a reputable university. They will have completed studies in scientific subject matter such as chemistry, human anatomy, physiology, psychology and mathematics. High grades and stellar reputation will be necessary when they apply to medical school because only the cream-of-the-crop are allowed admittance. Once they are accepted into a medical school, they will have four to six more years of academic training as well as multiple hours of hands-on experience. A five year residency which includes a year of general surgical training plus four more in their concentration will be completed next. In order to accomplish all of this schooling, an individual must be dedicated, highly intelligent and in possession of dogged determination.

Only a small percentage of American MDs are orthopedic surgeons. Of this tiny subgroup, less than ten percent are women and fewer than twenty percent are of other ethnicity than Anglo. There is a high demand for these specialists, however. Some of the surgeries that these doc’s perform include:

- Foot and ankle
- Hand
- Shoulder
- Spinal
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Arthroplasty (joint reconstruction)
- Sports injury issues

A patient's foot and ankle requires specific knowledge as this is a complex bodily region. Hand surgery is a complicated endeavor as well. Both hands and feet are packed with ligaments, tendons, joints, muscles and bones. Individuals may take these components for granted until something goes wrong with them. Many actions are completed with fine and gross motor skills of our hands. Everything from driving a car, holding a coffee cup and typing on a keyboard require intricate movements. Walking, running and jumping require flexible coordination and strength of our two feet and ankle regions. Operations on spine and back regions are also quite intricate. A competent surgeon must be overseeing these crucial procedures.

After completing medical school and residencies, an orthopedist must take examinations and apply for certifications in order to receive a license to practice medicine. When an individual finally crosses the finish line of training, they receive the right to their title. MD initials become a part of their legal name. When a patient needs to see an orthopedic surgeon, they can rest assured that the practitioners who have been trained in this specialty are cream-of-the-crop physicians who can cure many ills and eliminate pain from their lives.