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Are you searching for an orthopedic doctor job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an orthopedic doctor. Feel free to use our orthopedic doctor job description template to produce your own orthopedic doctor job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an orthopedic doctor.

 

Who is an Orthopedic Doctor?

An orthopedic doctor is a medical professional who focuses on identifying and treating diseases and injuries in the musculoskeletal system. For various body parts such as skeleton, ligaments, joints, and bones orthopedic doctor are frequently called upon to carry out difficult surgical treatments on it. These operations could be spinal surgery to treat scoliosis or other spinal malformations; reconstructive surgery after an accident or injury; or joint replacement surgery due to osteoarthritis or other degenerative disorders.

 

Orthopedic Doctor Job Description

What is an orthopedic doctor job description? An orthopedic doctor job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an orthopedic doctor in an organization. Below are the orthopedic doctor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an orthopedic doctor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

The duties and responsibilities of an orthopedic doctor include the following:

• Perform surgery to replace damaged joints and to mend shattered bones, such as arm or leg fractures.
• Give patients postoperative care, including monitoring their development and modifying their treatment regimens as necessary.
• Give patients advice on physical therapy, braces, crutches, or other assistance to help them recover from their wounds or illnesses.
• Perform surgery on the spine to repair deformities like scoliosis or kyphosis.
• Identify and treat musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, including tumors, tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, fractures, sprains, and strains of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints.
• Diagnose and manage hand and wrist conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and hand arthritis.
• Diagnose and manage conditions affecting the hip, knee, or ankle, including osteoarthritis, cartilage damage, bursitis, tendinitis, fractures, and dislocations.
• Treat patients with neuromusculoskeletal problems by fluoroscopically performing spinal cord stimulation and nerve block treatments.
• Take a look at the medical histories of the patients, use specialist tools to assess the severity of an injury or fracture, and choose the most appropriate course of action.
• Check your blood for bone degenerative disorders.
• Strengthen a particular body part by working it out, using ultrasounds, and lifting weights.
• Encourage healing, rehabilitate joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and bones.
• Treat both recent and ongoing pain and injury.
• Give patients prescription drugs to help with their recuperation.
• Observe how patients are recovering and make any necessary modifications to their treatment schedules.
• Make rehabilitation plans after surgery.
• Manage and delegate tasks to nurses and other medical personnel, and refer patients to other experts for additional care or recovery strategies.

 

Qualifications

The basic requirements of an orthopedic doctor include all of the following:

1. Education: Orthopedic doctors complete the prerequisite courses for medical school while earning a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine, biology, chemistry, or a related field. To enter medical school, which is extremely competitive and usually lasts four years, they must then pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Following medical school, orthopedic surgery residents must complete their training in four to five years. A fellowship, which takes an additional year or two to complete, is required of orthopedic doctors who want to specialize in a particular field, such as pediatric orthopedics.
2. Training: Orthopedic doctors receive more than a decade of training through medical school, residency, and fellowship. During residency, surgeons receive specialized training under the experienced faculty at a university. They will learn surgical skills, practice patient care, and do research. Orthopedic doctors who concentrate on a particular region, like the feet and ankles, will learn surgical techniques unique to that region. Additionally, they will work in the clinic and conduct research. Orthopedic doctors should remain current on novel surgical technology, apparatus, instruments, and procedures throughout their careers.
3. Certifications: All doctors, including orthopedic doctors, must pass the U.S. to get a medical license. The first two sections of this exam are completed by surgeons during their training, and a third component is completed after their residency. Additionally, orthopedic doctors may become board-certified to demonstrate their expertise. One can obtain certification from:

• The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery: Surgeons must have finished their residency and passed an oral and online exam to become certified. Every seven to ten years, they must renew their certification.
• The American Board of Physician Specialties: For this board certification, you must have finished your residency and performed at least 200 operations. Additionally, written and oral tests are required of candidates.

 

Essential Skills

The core competencies of an orthopedic doctor include all of the following:

1. Familiarity with orthopedic implants: To assist patients with bone and joint problems, orthopedic doctors draw on their expertise in orthopedics. They frequently carry out operations involving the implantation of artificial body parts, such as knee or hip replacements. These operations are prevalent in an orthopedist’s practice, so they must have a complete understanding of how to appropriately place these implants.
2. Good Organization Skills: The capacity of the organization is the capacity to monitor several duties and obligations. As an orthopedic doctor, you can treat a large number of patients with diverse treatment plans that call for different paperwork, including medical records, insurance information, and billing information. It’s critical to maintain organization so you can give your patients the correct information quickly. When scheduling appointments or procedures, you should also be organized because this will guarantee that all necessary preparations are performed before each procedure.
3. Excellent Problem-Solving Capabilities: Having the capacity to recognize and address problems is called problem-solving. During surgeries, you can face difficulties as an orthopedic doctor that call for problem-solving abilities. For instance, you must act immediately if a patient experiences an illness or an allergic reaction to medicine to continue treatment.
4. Clinical Recordkeeping: The process of writing down patient information and treatment specifics is known as clinical documentation. This may entail taking notes during a session, capturing actions, and outlining directions for aftercare. Clinical documentation skills are essential for orthopedic doctors to ensure accurate patient records. Additionally, it’s crucial to record any potential dangers or consequences so that other surgeons can later refer to them.
5. Knowledge of how to use surgical instruments: The equipment orthopedic doctors use to carry out their surgeries is called surgical instruments. They contain a wide range of tools, such as retractors, forceps, and scalpels. All of these tools must be understood by orthopedic doctors to treat patients effectively.
6. Knowledge of operating room techniques: Orthopedic doctors need to be able to follow operating room protocols, which is a critical skill. They must be able to cooperate with other medical specialists and abide by the policies of the clinic or hospital where they work. This helps to maintain patient safety by making sure everyone in the operating room is aware of what they must do during the procedure.
7. Effective Decision-Making: Orthopedic doctors need to be able to choose the best course of action for their patients. When a patient has several illnesses that need attention, they may need to select which treatments are best and what the best course of action is. This requires them to have information about numerous treatment options as well as the ability to balance the risks and benefits of each option.
8. Anesthesia: Orthopedic doctors must possess the ability to provide anesthesia to do their work. They employ anesthesia when operating on patients, so it’s crucial for them to understand how to deliver the proper dosage and keep an eye on their patient’s vital signs while the procedure is being done.
9. Working knowledge of medical jargon: The language used by medical experts to explain bodily functions, diseases, and treatments is known as medical terminology. To properly communicate with their patients and other medical professionals, orthopedic doctors must have a solid grasp of medical jargon. By using medical language, they can better understand research papers and medical textbooks that may be required for ongoing education or career advancement.
10. Excellent knowledge of emergency procedures: Orthopedic doctors must have emergency protocols since they might be called in for an emergency. Knowing how to respond to emergencies is crucial since it can save lives and lessen the suffering that patients endure. Knowing what tools to utilize in an emergency is another aspect of emergency procedures.
11. Effective Leadership: Orthopedic doctors must possess leadership qualities because they frequently oversee other medical specialists. This is especially true in a hospital context where the surgeon may be in charge of managing a variety of staff members and departments. Strong leadership abilities might assist them in assigning duties efficiently and upholding discipline among their staff. They can use it to inspire others to put in the effort and accomplish their goals.
12. Pain management: Due to the frequency of painful surgeries they undertake, orthopedic doctors must be skilled in pain management. They must have the ability to gauge their patients’ pain levels and recommend treatments accordingly. For instance, instead of giving medicine if the patient is in minimal discomfort, the surgeon can advise rest or physical therapy.
13. Infection Control: The capacity to prevent and treat infections is known as infection control. For orthopedic doctors, who frequently treat patients with open wounds at risk of infection, this ability can be crucial. These professionals must also maintain good hygiene in their offices to avoid infecting their patients or coworkers with pathogens.
14. Ability to Delegate Responsibility: Orthopedic doctors frequently collaborate with a group of medical specialists, such as anesthesiologists, nurses, and additional surgeons. To guarantee that their patients receive the best care possible, they must be able to assign tasks. For instance, if they have to operate on a patient’s knee, they might designate one surgeon to do it while another helps out.
15. Patient Care: The capacity to treat and support patients is known as patient care. This entails paying attention to their worries, thoroughly outlining the steps, and answering any queries they might have. It’s crucial to have patience with your patients so you can make them feel at ease during the course of their treatment. To earn their trust as medical experts, you also need to make sure the information you are giving them is accurate.
16. Skills in effective communication: The capacity to communicate is the ability to clearly express information. You must be able to communicate medical issues and available treatments to patients in a way that they can comprehend if you want to succeed as an orthopedic doctor. Additionally, you should discuss your patient’s condition with other medical specialists so that everyone knows what to do next.

 

How to Become an Orthopedic Doctor

1. Get a degree first: A bachelor’s degree from an approved university is the first requirement. Biology, physics, mathematics, English, general and organic chemistry, and other subjects are covered in class. Students can enroll in pre-med courses, apply for internships, and select electives in science. The typical time to get a bachelor’s degree is four years.
2. Pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT): You will then take a seven-hour test to demonstrate your readiness for medical school. The test consists of portions that are each independently scored, and the results range from 472 to 528. Candidates for orthopedic surgery should achieve the highest possible score.

MCAT section focuses:

• • Physical Sciences
  • CARS
  • Biological Sciences
  • Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior

3. Enroll in a medical program: You’ll apply to medical school after you’ve passed the MCAT. Orthopedic doctors receive either a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine as their medical degree (DO). You’ll study for four years in medical school.

• • Anatomy
  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology
  • Genetics

You will also participate in clinical rotations in standard medical specialties such as:

• • Surgery
  • Medicine
  • Obstetrics and gynecology
  • Radiology
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurology

4. Complete Residency: After that, a residency will give you five years of on-the-job training. For the first two or more years, students specialize in general surgery before moving on to orthopedic surgery for the remaining few years. Students gain confidence in their skills and learn to establish a rapport with patients while working with attending physicians.
5. Finish your fellowship: Most orthopedic doctors either enter a subspecialty or finish a fellowship for in-depth research of a specific body component. Orthopedic doctors learn during a fellowship, which typically lasts one to two years.

• • Hand, foot, ankle, spine surgery
  • Pediatric orthopedics
  • Orthopedic oncology
  • Reconstructive surgery
  • Surgical sports medicine

6. Earn your license: Orthopedic doctors must take and pass either the USMLE or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensure Examination (COMLEX) to practice medicine after completing the necessary training. It’s advisable to find out whether your region has any additional licensing requirements because state-by-state licensing requirements can differ.
7. Obtain board certification: After receiving their licenses, orthopedic doctors are not required to take a board exam to practice, but having that certification instills confidence in patients and attests to the surgeon’s commitment to their field. Through board certification, orthopedic doctors are guaranteed to have been found competent and knowledgeable after examination by a jury of their peers. 320 multiple-choice, computer-based questions make up the board exams that are given by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS) or the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery (AOBOS). Following the written portion, surgeons must complete an oral test consisting of questions and answers that assess their understanding of and proficiency in the surgical procedure.

Every seven to ten years, orthopedic doctors who wish to maintain their board certification must take continuing education courses and have board evaluations and tests. These standards guarantee that surgeons stay up to date on new developments and research.

 

Where to Work as an Orthopedic Doctor

Orthopedic doctors work in clinics, private practices, and hospitals. They frequently put in long hours, including on the weekends. They might also have to work at odd hours with little or no notice because they might be required to be on call around the clock. Orthopedic doctors frequently collaborate with other surgeons, medical experts, and support personnel, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They also interact with patients and their families to discuss treatment options and expected outcomes.

 

Orthopedic Doctor Salary Scale

The average gross pay for orthopedic doctors in the United States is $487,243, or $234 per hour. Additionally, they receive a $61,246 bonus on average. It is based on pay survey data obtained from anonymous employees and employers in the United States. The typical compensation for a beginning orthopedic doctor (with 1-3 years of experience) is $311,288. The average pay for a senior-level orthopedic doctor (8+ years of experience) is $695,939.

The average gross pay for orthopedic doctors in the UK is £256 024, which works out to an hourly wage of £123. Additionally, they receive a £32,182 bonus on average. Wage projections are based on anonymous employee and employer responses to a salary survey conducted in the UK. The typical income for a beginning orthopedic doctor (with 1-3 years of experience) is £163,568. The average pay for a senior-level orthopedic doctor (8+ years of experience) is £365,684.

In Toronto, Ontario, the average gross pay for orthopedic doctors is $513,841, or $247 per hour. This is 8% more than the typical orthopedic doctor’s salary in Canada (+$37,628). Additionally, they receive a $64,590 bonus on average. Salary projections are based on data from anonymous employee surveys and employer surveys completed in Toronto, Ontario. An orthopedic doctor with 1-3 years of experience at their entry-level makes, on average, $328,281. On the other hand, the average pay for senior-level orthopedic doctors (8+ years of experience) is $733,928, on average.

Australian orthopedic doctors get average gross pay of $586,431, or $282 per hour. They also receive an average bonus of $73,714. Wage estimates are based on data from anonymous Australian employees and employers via salary surveys. An orthopedic doctor with 1-3 years of experience at their entry level has an average income of $375,266. The average pay for a senior-level orthopedic doctor (8+ years of experience) is $838,971.

In Ireland, an orthopedic doctor makes, on average, €311,234 per year and €150 per hour. An orthopedic doctor may expect to make between €195,455 and €436,972 on average. The highest level of schooling often required for an orthopedic doctor is a doctorate. This compensation analysis is based on wage survey data received directly from businesses and anonymous employees in Ireland.

A person working as an orthopedic doctor in Nigeria typically earns around ₦1,460,000 NGN per month. Salaries range from ₦774,000 NGN (lowest) to ₦2,220,000 NGN (highest).

In Germany, the average gross pay for orthopedic doctors is 290.283 euros, or 140 euros per hour. Additionally, they receive a 36.489 euro bonus on average. Wage projections are based on anonymous employee and employer responses to a salary survey conducted in Germany. The typical income for a beginning orthopedic doctor (with 1-3 years of experience) is 185.455 euros. The average pay for senior-level orthopedic doctors (8+ years of experience) is 414.616 euros.

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