An orthopedic residency is a hospital-based program for medical graduates who have chosen orthopedic medicine as their specialty. The program lasts 3-5 years and includes hands-on training, academic study, and patient care coordination. Residents learn various orthopedic procedures and can specialize in different subspecialties. After completing the program, residents can apply for board certification.
An orthopedic residency is a hospital-based medical training program centered on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. To become an orthopedic resident, an applicant must be a graduate of a four-year medical school and must have chosen the field of orthopedic medicine as their specialty. Residents enrolled in the program are physicians who are not yet fully licensed to practice unsupervised medicine.
The path to becoming an orthopedic doctor can be long and challenging, with the typical residency program lasting three to five years after medical school. Duration varies between individual hospitals and according to orthopedic subspecialty. It is a very hands-on training experience, under the guidance of attending physicians, combined with extensive academic study. Residents are classified as house staff and receive a salary, albeit a bit minimal as they are still doctors in training.
All program residents train as orthopedic surgeons and learn how to properly position and repair bones using screws, plates and pins. There is an emphasis on aspects such as nutrition, assessment of fluid and electrolyte balance, preoperative pathology, surgical technique, and wound healing. They perform disc and nerve repair, amputations, bone grafting, traction, arthroscopic surgery, kneecap removal, joint replacement, and many other orthopedic procedures. Coordination of patient care is also one of the main focal points of an orthopedic residency.
Some considerations when evaluating the differences between accredited orthopedic residency programs are the diversity of the patient population and the types of cases treated. Another element is the allowable level of direct student participation in trauma management. Additional aspects include the qualifications of the employees present and their level of expertise, as well as the percentage of graduates who pass the board certification exam. Other points of comparison are the number of orthopedic specialties each hospital program offers, the ratio of attending physicians to in-house staff, and the professional status of program graduates.
Residents will find units of study in interpersonal communication, clinical judgment, and professionalism. They will invest blocks of time learning to use high-tech surgical equipment and exploring treatment options. They also study degenerative diseases and radiology.
There are many divisions from which to select orthopedic subspecialties, including pediatric orthopedics, traumatology, musculoskeletal oncology, and rehabilitation. Some students may prefer adult joint reconstruction or specializing in the hand, elbow and upper extremity. Others may be more interested in the foot and ankle, the spine, sports medicine or microsurgery.
When all orthopedic residency program requirements are met, a resident may apply for the board certification exam. Your knowledge, skill and qualifications will first be assessed by a comprehensive written exam. If this is successfully completed, an oral exam will complete the process.
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