Have you ever considered the size of the human body’s muscles and the no. of bones? The average human body has 600 muscles and 206 bones. The main muscles include Skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. The main point is that there are many muscles and bones in our body and they need special types of care and treatment in order to help your body to function properly. The best orthopedic surgeon is the one who takes care of your bones and muscles and provides the best possible treatment whenever necessary.
Diverse muscle groups serve diverse purposes and any problem with them might result in weakening of joints, pain in bones or even paralysis. An orthopedic surgeon are the specialists who handle bones and joints related cases. If you are looking for the steps of how to become a good orthopedic surgeon then this blog is for you.
Who is an Orthopedic Surgeon?
A medical professional who has studied and has completed training in orthopedics which includes bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments is known as an orthopedic surgeon. They are well-versed in performing any surgery related to the musculoskeletal system.
In simple words, the work of an orthopedic surgeon is to identify, prevent and treat problems with the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, etc. They treat musculoskeletal conditions including spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders using both non-surgical and surgical methods.
What Does an Orthopedic Surgeon Do?
The following are some of the common duties carried out by an orthopedic surgeon:
- Consult with patients to identify illnesses and injuries
- Examining patients to find orthopedic-related problems
- Analyzing diagnostic documents, including X-rays and magnetic resonance pictures
- Performing procedures, such as internal fixations and bone transplants
- Performing follow-up exams on patients after surgery
- Recommending non-surgical procedures and treatments
- Assisting patients in comprehending and controlling their diseases
- Prescribing patients with medication or after-surgery care
- Identifying genetic disorders and treating viral or bacterial infections
- Creating patient data, keeping track of their health and administering therapy
- Responding to crises brought on by traumas, injuries, and accidents
- Collaborating with other healthcare professionals to support the activities of interdisciplinary medical teams
How to Become a Successful Orthopedic Surgeon?
To become a successful and best orthopedic surgeon in your city, town or country, you need to practice surgery. The steps involve your education, degrees, internship, practice and years of experience. Here we have mentioned some basic steps you must follow for becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Complete your Schooling and Education
Getting your higher secondary school degree in the science stream with biology as a subject is the first stage in the procedure. Along with biology, you may have to study chemistry, physics and maths (optional) in order to get a better understanding of the pertinent concepts.
Consider studying for the entrance exams while you are completing your higher secondary education since after graduating from school, you will need to appear for entrance exams. These entrance exams are given to be admitted to an undergraduate medical program.
Prepare & Enrol in Graduation Examination
If you want to enroll in an undergraduate medical program at a public or private college or university, you must pass the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, also known as NEET (UG). Your NEET test result will determine whether you are admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum.
It is compulsory for you to score good marks in your NEET exam to get into a good college. After getting a medical college you need to study medicine for 4 to 5 years to get a bachelor’s degree of MBBS.
Enrol in an Internship
You can take the appropriate measures to become an orthopedic surgeon once you complete the MBBS curriculum and become a doctor. Sign up for an orthopedic residency or internship program first. The length of these programs usually takes four to five years to complete.
These courses give you the chance to gain practical experience and are comparable to internships. Additionally, they assist aspiring orthopedic surgeons in gaining expertise in patient counseling, report interpretation and surgical techniques.
Go for a Postgraduation Course
After your MBBS degree and internship, you are eligible to engage in a post-graduate course in orthopedics. An opportunity to specialize and get in-depth knowledge of medical practice is provided by such a program. In order to enroll in a postgraduate course, you need to qualify for the NEET UG exam.
The extensive coursework for an orthopedics master’s degree examines the knowledge of both surgery and treatment. By completing this course, you’ll also learn more about the fundamentals of traumatology and surgery.
Attend a Fellowship (Optional)
Orthopedic surgeons have the choice to extend their education in a specialization of ortho medicine following an internship or residency program. The orthopedic surgeon must finish a fellowship for this.
Orthopedic surgeons will train in a hospital for at least a year during a fellowship in order to specialize in a particular area of orthopedic surgery. Orthopedic surgeons must pass a board exam in their fellowship in order to be completely qualified.
What are the Types of Orthopedic Surgery Conducted by Orthopedic Surgeons?
The main work of an orthopedic surgeon includes performing a variety of operations and give treatments to improve human mobility. They perform various surgeries in different parts of the body. The main surgeries include in spine, shoulder, neck, elbow, wrist, hips, knee, ankle and joints. The followings are some typical orthopedic surgery types performed by a skilled surgeon:
ACL Surgery
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery is used to repair a ruptured ACL which is a crucial knee ligament.
Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee arthroplasty, often known as knee replacement surgery, is a procedure used to replace the damaged knee with an implant to make it functional.
Hip Replacement Surgery
In a hip replacement surgery, the arthritic hip joint is surgically removed and replaced with an artificial joint comprised of many metal components. There are various certified hip replacement surgeons in Delhi that are expert surgeons worldwide.
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a system that can diagnose and handle joint problems. It is also known by the name Minimally invasive surgery.
The Bottom Line
To become a successful orthopedic surgeon, you need to be an expert in performing surgeries in the musculoskeletal system. Always remember that a good surgeon is not made automatically, it comes with a lot of experience, expertise and knowledge. These were some common steps of how you can become an orthopedic surgeon.