| The outlook for orthopaedic surgery jobs is bright, as | | | | orthopaedic surgeons must graduate near the top of |
| long as you are willing to dedicate yourself to years | | | | their medical school class. In the US, about 650 |
| of training and work long hours. Orthopaedic | | | | doctors complete orthopaedic residency training each |
| surgereons are physicians with more than five years | | | | year. Orthopaedic surgeons make up around 3-4% of |
| of comprehensive training in orthopedic surgery. | | | | practicing physicians. |
| After medical school they get additional training that | | | | The average salary for an orthopedic surgeon is |
| allows them to diagnose and treat injuries and | | | | between $300,000 and $350,000, though it can be |
| illnesses to joints, bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, | | | | $220,000 on the low end and $500,000+ on the |
| and ligaments of the spine. | | | | upper end. Higher than median income is often found |
| Training | | | | in self-employed surgeons who are owners or partial |
| At a minimum, to get orthopaedic surgery jobs, one | | | | owners of their own medical practice. Self-employed |
| must have a four-year Bachelor degree, four years | | | | physicians must fund their own health insurance and |
| of medical school, and residency and internship, which | | | | retirement. |
| lasts up to eight years. To focus on a subspeciality | | | | If you decide to follow the path to become an |
| of orthopaedic surgery, fellowships are available for | | | | orthopaedic surgeon. Surgeons work long and |
| further training. These last for a year or two and | | | | irregular hours, with over a third of full-time surgeons |
| follow the completion of residency training. The best | | | | and physicians working over 60 hours a week. Part |
| fellowships combine research with clinical and | | | | time work is rare, with only 8 percent of surgeons |
| operative training. | | | | working part time. |
| Although not required, interest in fellowship training | | | | If location isn't important, there are more |
| has grown over the past fifteen years as more | | | | opportunities for finding orthopaedic surgery jobs. |
| doctors choose to focus on a specialty. Some of the | | | | Low-income and rural areas have opportunities if you |
| subspecialties include ankle and foot surgery, joint | | | | don't mind the drawbacks, such as isolation from |
| replacement (also known as adult reconstruction | | | | colleagues and less control over working hours. |
| surgery, spinal surgery, wrist and hand surgery, | | | | With a growing aging population, demand for |
| pediatric and adolescent orthopedics, musculoskeletal | | | | orthopedic surgeons will continue to rise, as |
| oncology, sports medicine, total joint reconstruction, | | | | consumers seek the latest in technology and health |
| and elbow and shoulder surgery. | | | | care. As a competitive specialty, few people are |
| Outlook | | | | qualified to fill orthopaedic surgery jobs. These two |
| One reason that there is a good outlook for | | | | factors ensure that orthopedic surgeons will be able |
| orthopaedic surgery jobs is the number of baby | | | | to secure high-paying jobs throughout the next |
| boomers who suffer from exercise-related injuries. | | | | decade, as long as they are willing to dedicate |
| There are more active 45- to 65-year-olds now than | | | | themselves to years of training and a heavy |
| in any time in history—and that number continues | | | | workload. |
| to grow. In fact, there aren't enough doctors to | | | | To learn more about careers in orthopedics visit the |
| treat the growing number of patients who need to | | | | orthopedic surgery jobs page for more information |
| see an orthopedic surgeon. The residency training | | | | and how to apply for a job. |
| selection is among the most competitive so hopeful | | | | |