Q. I'm a student doing a paper on orthopedic surgeons, what can you tell me?
A. Orthopedic surgeons treat diseases and injuries of the spine and extremities. Using surgery, medications, and physical therapy, their goal is to preserve maximal function of the musculoskeletal system.
Training to be an orthopedic surgeon consists of:
- 4 years of college,
- 4 years of medical school,
- 5 years of residency,
- 1-2 year fellowship (optional).
A fellowship allows the surgeon to specialize in fields such as:
- musculoskeletal oncology,
- reconstructive orthopedics,
- sports medicine,
- pediatric orthopedics,
- orthopedic trauma, and
- spine surgery.
A report done by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 1995 reported the average annual income of a surgeon before taxes to be $225,000. The average salary of an orthopedic resident is about $35,000, and a fellow makes about $45,000. It is not uncommon to graduate from medical school with $100,000 to $200,000 of debt due to loans.
Surgeons work an average of 65 hours per week. Residents often work more than 100 hours a week. There are presently about 35,000 orthopedic surgeons in the country.
Keep in mind, these numbers are averages, and can vary quite substantially.
For the latest orthopedic statistical and demographic information:
Statistics & Demographics
Q. I am a student doing research on [fill in orthopedic topic], what can you tell me?
A. Beyond what I've listed here, I cannot do your homework for you!. Please use the resources available on these pages to find the answer to your questions. For a listing of general topics addressed on this web site, check the library at:
Orthopedic Library
Many of the questions I receive from students pertain more to the subjects of physiology and exercise. Perhaps you can check other About.com sites, such as:
