Requirements to Be an Orthopedic Surgeon
The requirements to become an orthopedic surgeon take approximately 14 years to complete. During this time aspiring orthopedic surgeons learn how to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal disorders. After graduation, some work as general surgeons, repairing broken bones. Others specialize in a specific area of orthopedics. Orthopedic surgeons have to complete undergraduate school, medical school, an internship, a residency, a fellowship and exams to test their knowledge and competency.
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Education
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Prospective orthopedic surgeons will need to complete a four-year undergraduate degree. During this degree they will need to have one full year of biology classes, two full years of chemistry classes and one full year of physics classes along with the rest of their general education requirements. Once they complete this degree they must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and complete medical school applications. They will spend four years in medical school. Two of those years will be classroom-based and two years will be hospital-based.
National Board Exams
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Prospective orthopedic surgeons must pass their National Board Exams. Students will take one of these full-day exams after their second year of medical school and one after their third year of medical school. These exams are given to test students' fundamental knowledge of medicine. They include a written portion and an oral portion.
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Residency Applications
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Prospective orthopedic surgeons must complete residency applications. These are filled out during the fall, and interviews are done during the winter months. Once this process is complete, a one-day event called Match Day occurs. On this day the aspiring orthopedic surgeons will find out where they will be doing their residency.
Internship and Residency
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The combination of internship and residency will take five years to complete. The internship is the first year of residency. It begins on July 1 and lasts for one year. Residency lasts for four years and is a requirement to become an orthopedic surgeon. Residents will learn the elements of orthopedic surgery and rotate through all of the main subspecialties of orthopedic surgery. Residents will spend these four years in several different hospitals.
Fellowship
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The last requirement to become an orthopedic surgeon is a fellowship. Fellowships last for one year. During this time aspiring orthopedic surgeons will work in a subspecialty of orthopedic surgery. These subspecialties include adult reconstructive orthopedics, pediatric orthopedics, foot and ankle orthopedics, trauma, hand surgery, spinal surgery, orthopedic sports medicine and musculoskeletal oncology. The types of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation therapies that residents may study during this time are laboratory-cloned cartilage, arthroscopy, shoulder arthroplasty and laser surgery.
Continuing Education
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Orthopedic surgeons who wish to maintain their board certification must go through a peer review, pass an oral or written exam approximately every seven to 10 years and complete continuing medical education (CME). Certain subspecialties of orthopedics may require further education. Some CME courses can be completed online through the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
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