Orthopedic surgeons who conduct joint replacement surgery achieve particularly high rewards.
Orthopedics is the medical science concerning the human skeleton and the muscles attached to it and integral to its functioning. An orthopedic surgeon specializes in treating problems that prevent it from working efficiently. These can be bone fractures, sports injuries or spinal traumas. To become an orthopedic surgeon takes a long time and the accumulation of a great deal of knowledge. As an expert physician, she can attain an salary at the top end of the medical sector.
Remuneration
My Salary states that a qualified orthopedic surgeon working in the United States in 2010 can expect to achieve an annual average salary of $407,856. A surgeon having just qualified may secure a basic salary lower than this, but her remuneration potential will increase with each year of experience she attains. Experienced professionals are also more liable to secure a better additional package of benefits, like pension provision.
Employers
Both the public and private professional sectors offer orthopedic surgeons employment possibilities. In the former, hospitals, surgery centers and outpatient care clinics provide the majority of openings, while private practice, either alone or as part of a group, attracts other candidates, particularly after gaining significant experience. Positions also exist in government research agencies and tertiary educational establishments.
Study
Orthopedic surgeons must follow a similar training path to other specialist surgeons. All physicians, regardless of the area they eventually want to practice in, must have a bachelor's degree and graduate from medical school. It is also a requirement to practice general medicine for not less than five years to obtain a medical license. Only after attaining this license can doctors undertake a two- to four-year fellowship in orthopedic surgery, which concludes their training.
Prospects
Demand for orthopedic surgeons looks set to rise during the 2010s. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that demand for surgeons with special areas of expertise will outstrip the average increase in demand across all professional sectors in America. As such, qualified practitioners are in line to enjoy excellent remuneration until at least 2018, when the BLS will conduct another review.
Tags: orthopedic surgeon, orthopedic surgeons, professional sectors
