Orthopedic Surgeon Overview
If you break a bone, a general practitioner will most likely refer you to an orthopedic surgeon prompting you to ask: What is an orthopedic surgeon?
These surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in treating injuries or conditions affecting the skeletal system, its surrounding muscles and tissues, joints, and tendons. These medical doctors do much more than surgery, and they use various methods which help promote healing such as casting bones or recommending back braces for the treatment of scoliosis.
Becoming one of these doctors requires educational demands that are time consuming and strict. After receiving a four year bachelor′s degree, these doctors attend medical school followed by several years of internship and residency requirements. Many will spend an additional one or two years in fellowship programs to specialize in certain fields. In total, they will complete 12 -14 years of training following graduation from high school.
Those not specializing in specific areas of orthopedics treat various types of patients with different needs. Fully describing what an orthopedic surgeon is can be exhaustive. Their work may include healing broken bones, treating carpal tunnel syndrome, or treating people with sports-related injuries. They may also treat long-term conditions such as osteoporosis, cerebral palsy, brittle bone disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. The surgeries they may perform included joint replacement, correcting soft tissue damage, surgically resetting bones, and any other surgery required to treat the musculoskeletal system.
Many of these surgeons work solely out of hospitals while others maintain private practices and perform surgeries as needed. Those working in teaching hospitals could be responsible for teaching courses. They may speak at meetings, conferences, and seminars.
What is an orthopedic surgeon? The answer is: a physician who diagnoses, treats, and manages rehabilitation, and provides prevention protocols for those patients suffering from disease or injury in any part of the musculoskeletal system.