Orthopedic Surgeon Degree Requirements

Get me an Orthopod

Orthopedic surgeons are highly qualified, highly specialized doctors who treat the musculoskeletal system. They operate on patients who have bone diseases, replace hips and knees, repair torn ligaments, and wire bone fractures. Orthopods, as they are referred to in the realm of medicine, can be general orthopedic surgeons or specialize in particular anatomical areas, such as an orthopedic hand surgeon. A high degree of specialization requires further training and sometimes means acquiring further degrees.

High School

It all starts in high school. You will need to take and excel in science and math courses. These courses help to develop a foundation for your medical future and help get you into college.

College

Any college that is accredited is suitable for a basic education. A lot of what you learn and retain has more to do with your interests and abilities than the particular school you attend. Start out at a two-year school to save money and then switch over for more advanced science courses and to earn your diploma. You'll need to take one year each of basic chemistry and organic chemistry plus associated labs. Also required are two years of biology, with anatomy and physiology highly recommended. Physics, calculus and additional advanced science courses are your best bet to get noticed by a medical school. Do your best in school, especially in science courses, but also in English. Take humanities and social science courses so the medical schools see a well-rounded individual.

Medical School

The application process to get into medical school is fiercely competitive. Most states have only one or two medical schools, with 50 to 100 seats available. New classes start only one time per year. Once you're in, you'll do two years of basic science courses, including laboratories, and then two years of clinical rotations. Rotations include OB-Gyn, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics. Only students who graduate from medical school and pass at least Step 1 of the USMLE are qualified to continue on to an orthopedic surgery residency program.

Residency

Residency is graduate medical training beyond the general program that medical schools offer. Residency programs in orthopedic surgery generally span five years.

Master's Degree

Hospitals across the country give residents the opportunity to also earn a master's degree. At the Mayo Clinic, for instance, residents can exchange six months of certain clinical training for laboratory research. They also have to do a research project, write a thesis and pass oral exams. This additional degree gives surgeons broader scope to teach or do research.

Fellowship

Postgraduate fellowships in orthopedic surgery are available at many graduate medical schools in areas such as ankle and foot surgery, hand surgery and adult reconstructive surgery.

References

• US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicians and Surgeons
• The Hip and Knee Institute: How to Become an Orthopedic Surgeon
• Mayo Clinic: Orthopedic Surgery Curriculum