Who are orthopedic surgeons and what is required to follow this career path? Read on to get to know more about this fascinating field of medicine.
If you break a bone or have some other kind of bone problem, you would more than likely visit orthopedists, also called orthopedic surgeons. These doctors practice a branch of medicine that utilizes both non-surgical and surgical means to treat musculoskeletal deformities and injuries. These problems are usually related to infections, degenerative childhood diseases, sports injuries, and tumors. The surgical procedures are done using orthopedic instruments, provided by the trauma product manufacturer.
The name orthopedics is derived from 2 Greek words ‘orthos’ and ‘paideion’ when put together mean ‘straight-child” and is usually used on children to heal spinal deformities and other problems with the bones. These children are usually born with these deformities.
Orthopedic surgeons often deal with patients with any kind of musculoskeletal injury. Orthopedic surgeons utilize general anesthesia on the patients while they do their surgeries and usually able to get a great job for life in a local hospital, private practice office, or teaching school. The surgeons also use orthopedic tools to perform the surgery.
The future usually looks bright for these specialists, especially in regions that are away from the big cities where it is not easy to find good doctors. the pay scale of orthopedic surgeons is roughly between $100,000 and $500,000 per year, depending on your ability and experience. The pay also depends on the area of your practice as usually, the professionals in private practice are on a higher pay scale as the competition is not as high.
If you want to follow this path, you will need to get a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in either biology or pre-med. Then you will require to complete 4 years of medical school then finish a hospital residency, which also lasts around 4 years. This residency often includes normal surgery with specialty training.
After you have finished all the essential schooling, you must apply for a medical practice license in the state that you desire to practice. To do this, you must pass the exam of medical licensing. You must apply to be re-certified every seven to ten years so that your license remains up to date and you can continue to practice your expertise.
There are several skills that are needed for you to become a good orthopedic surgeon. These include having a total understanding of any new technologies being utilized in the surgical field, pharmacology, ethics within the medical field so that you can prescribe the right medications for your patients and physiology. You will also require having knowledge of what contributes to the health of the musculoskeletal system and how to treat and prevent disease. You must also have the stamina to work the long hours that are needed with this career.
If you want to follow this path, the future is great for you. If you have the patience, your dream can be achieved and you can have a bright future in the medical field.
