Orthopedic surgeons in the United States complete medical school after four years of undergraduate education. Afterward, they are required to complete a five-year residency program. The first year is training in general surgery, and is followed by four years of training in orthopedic surgery. If a surgeon chooses to focus on a sub-specialty, training is typically a year or two in additional training along with a research component.
Orthopedic surgeons specialize in disorders related to the extremities or spine. They also work with musculoskeletal issues (both primary and secondary) of the central nervous system. These can include problems such as degenerative diseases, congenital disorders, tumors, injuries, infections and trauma.
Some orthopedic surgeons specialize in the bones, tendons, joints, nerves, muscles and ligaments. Others specialize in broken bones, foot or ankle disorders, sports medicine, pediatrics, reconstructive orthopedics, musculoskeletal oncology, hand surgery, orthopedic trauma and orthopedic spine surgery.
According to Salary.com, the median expected salary for a typical Orthopedic Surgeon in the United States is $406,847. This does not include benefits and bonuses which vary.
Orthopedics has become the common spelling for "orthopaedics" and the two are now used interchangeably. The term "orthopaedics" originated around 1840 and comes from the Latin root "ortho" and "pedo" which taken literally means "straighten the child." At the time of the word's origin, an orthopedist was expected to perform the task of straightening the child's spine.