How to Become an Orthopedic Surgeon
Learn the steps involved in becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Topics such as education, experience, salary, and job prospects are discussed.
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So you’ve seen ads for Orthopedic Surgeon Jobs, and have gotten jealous of the whopping $500,000 per year income that was advertized. Have you ever wondered what the process is for becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon? It can be different in different places, but generally the process is as follows:
Four years of undergraduate college education. This involves obtaining a four year degree, either bachelor of arts or bachelor of science, from an accredited university. While you can major in absolutely anything, it is generally recommended to major in a science-related degree, because of the amount of science classes you will be required to take. These include: physics, calculus, biology, and chemistry. During your third year, you will need to study for, and take, the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) administered by the AAMC. If you obtain a good score and have a good GPA, you are well on your way to applying to medical school and getting accepted.
During medical school, you will learn advanced sciences and hands-on clinical training for four more years. You must obtain top-notch marks, because getting into a surgeon program afterwords is hard work! Post-doctoral training is called Residency, and orthopedic surgeons are required to do a residency in General Surgery. This takes 3-5 years. After this, post-residency training is called “fellowship”, which is where you will further sub-specialize in Orthopedic Surgery. In total, you are looking at anywhere from twelve to fifteen years of schooling after high school to become an Orthopedic Surgeon. However, both residency and fellowship are paid training programs. You won’t be making as much as an attending surgeon, but you will most likely make enough to live and support your family. During undergraduate school and medical school, students will generally have to live off student loans. Working is not recommended – and even prohibited – at most medical schools, especially in the United States. The workload one has to endure in medical school is so time consuming that being a student alone will sometimes take up all your time.
Whether or not being a surgeon is as glamorous as it is made out to be is neither here nor there. Some surgeons absolutely love their jobs – the hours, the pay, etc. while others are unhappy and burned out. If you have a passion for healing and a passion for saving lives with your bare hands, you will go far in this field. Don’t let anything stop you in this journey – being a surgeon is one of the most commendable jobs today, and receives a lot of respect. On top of that, your pay will easily be in the top five percentile of all working people. The hours worked as a surgeon are generally more flexible than other doctors, but you will still probably have to work more hours than you would at a 9-5 desk job. That is the nature of the work, and most surgeons and doctors don’t find it as an inconvenience.
1 Comment
Hi I’m writing a book that concerns a young woman who is becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Due to familial pressures she has to leave her medical studies to work outside of the hospital.
My questions: If a student were to leave, which is likeliest, after the 1st intern year, or halfway through residency?
Q #2 Are students paid during either internships or residency?
Q #3 Is it feasible that a student would have the time to work away from their hospital assignment?
Q #4 If a student left in the middle of residency would it be really difficult to regain status and move back into the medical world?
Thanks,