ortho attending AMA

[Scrubs101]

Agreed with the above, it would be much more kind to inform us of our averageness or sub-parness. With a little constructive criticism if possible, especially if the student has more future ortho rotations scheduled. But having the option of still receiving the average letter is nice for those that need it regardless. The hit we'll take to our egos will be worth it (and sometimes needed).

For med shool apps i had a doc that i asked to write me a letter and he agreed but seemed quite hesitant and suggested i attempt to get another letter from someone that knows me better. At the time i needed it so i was grateful he would still write it, but i eventually was able to find some time to get another letter that i assume was much better. In the end I was very grateful for his advice and his expression of hesitation.


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[Pork_Chop]

Thanks so much for doing this, reading through this thread has given me some good insight.

I am going to be a freshman under-grad this fall, and from my experiences in academics/observing military doctors, I am pretty set on the idea of medical school and going in as a surgeon for the army. So my question is that now you have the benefit of being on the other side of med school/residency/working in your field, what was it in your under-grad years that have carried over to now? What experiences or choices you made are now affecting you, both positively and negatively?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Thanks so much for doing this, reading through this thread has given me some good insight.

I am going to be a freshman under-grad this fall, and from my experiences in academics/observing military doctors, I am pretty set on the idea of medical school and going in as a surgeon for the army. So my question is that now you have the benefit of being on the other side of med school/residency/working in your field, what was it in your under-grad years that have carried over to now? What experiences or choices you made are now affecting you, both positively and negatively?

I don't think anything is affecting me negatively. As for the positives, I was an EMT in college and it really helped me to learn to work in a team setting as I am not naturally social, and ortho involves a team mentality. I also developed hobbies in undergrad that I loved, and kept some of them during residency; it helped keep me sane.

 

[masaraksh]

Yes, I'm doing ortho aways right now. PLEASE tell students if you don't think you can write them a strong letter.

Also, limited experience so far but traumapods seem less approachable :/

Also, does anyone care about your letter writers subspecialty?... like if 3 handpods write your letters are programs like wtf

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Yes, I'm doing ortho aways right now. PLEASE tell students if you don't think you can write them a strong letter.

Also, limited experience so far but traumapods seem less approachable :/

Also, does anyone care about your letter writers subspecialty?... like if 3 handpods write your letters are programs like wtf

Trauma orthopods are typically extremely approachable… Maybe you just had some bad luck. I don't think anybody cares about the subspecialty of your letter writers. Typically, one of them will be your chairman, so usually they will be of different subspecialties, but if they're not, it's not a problem.

 

[Blunt Dissection]

Thanks for this incredible thread. You've answered so many things that students are dying to know. I've been thinking about 3rd and 4th year electives and I've been wondering this: I'm 99% certain that PRS is what I will want to specialize in, but I don't know if it would be more educational for me to do all my electives in surgeries, or if I should also choose electives outside of surgery. I see the benefits in both - having non-surgical electives will teach me a lot about the medicine side of surgery, but choosing all surgery for my electives would likely mean that I go into a PRS audition rotation with a good foundation. As a DO student, I feel like there's already quite a mountain to climb when it comes to surgical sub-specialties. I follow Plastics Match Insider and according to their stats, only 27% of PRS programs will consider DO candidates. What would you suggest?

Edit: Also forgot to ask - I'm also interested in staying in academia one day. I really enjoy teaching and think that I really would enjoy that aspect of medicine in the future. Is there a certain amount of research that is expected from a medical student in order to even be considered by academic programs? I can't say that by the time the match roles around for me that I would have more than 2 completed projects in medical school.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Thanks for this incredible thread. You've answered so many things that students are dying to know. I've been thinking about 3rd and 4th year electives and I've been wondering this: I'm 99% certain that PRS is what I will want to specialize in, but I don't know if it would be more educational for me to do all my electives in surgeries, or if I should also choose electives outside of surgery. I see the benefits in both - having non-surgical electives will teach me a lot about the medicine side of surgery, but choosing all surgery for my electives would likely mean that I go into a PRS audition rotation with a good foundation. As a DO student, I feel like there's already quite a mountain to climb when it comes to surgical sub-specialties. I follow Plastics Match Insider and according to their stats, only 27% of PRS programs will consider DO candidates. What would you suggest?

Edit: Also forgot to ask - I'm also interested in staying in academia one day. I really enjoy teaching and think that I really would enjoy that aspect of medicine in the future. Is there a certain amount of research that is expected from a medical student in order to even be considered by academic programs? I can't say that by the time the match roles around for me that I would have more than 2 completed projects in medical school.

I don't know how it would work for a DO student, so I think that is better answered by someone else (sorry!). But my two cents on your first question is that if there is a low match rate for DOs, you want to rock your audition rotations. I normally suggest that people do other non-surgical electives to become "well-rounded" (in ortho that includes PM&R), but in your case i think you want to get as much surgical exposure as possible. So that is what I would do, surgery type electives.

As for your second question, I don't think there is an expected amount of research unless you're applying specifically for a position that includes an extra research year (ortho programs have a 6-year track like that, not sure if plastics does too). Typically, competitive specialties do require research, but I am not sure what the average number of projects for plastics is. Ortho has a little more leeway depending on how good you are in other aspects of your application.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I'm really curious what a paycheck from an ortho attending looks like... [scratches head and contemplates life]


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Extremely varied by location, practice type etc....additionally, we aren't supposed to ever tell each other how much we make, so we don't get too demanding and start driving the salaries up--we were actually warned during graduation not to talk about money with our colleagues.

That said, I've known those who make 250K starting, with incentives (in cities where there is tons of competition). I've known some who make 1.5 million (and these are private guys, not necessarily big ortho names). The most I've ever heard of was 6 million, but that's ridiculous and only due to his academic situation and his massive relationship with industry. The actual average is closer to 450K. As for me, I'm luckier than average, but I also do a lot of admin/teaching work that is thankfully taken into account.

 

[Nucleus Accumbens]

Extremely varied by location, practice type etc....additionally, we aren't supposed to ever tell each other how much we make, so we don't get too demanding and start driving the salaries up--we were actually warned during graduation not to talk about money with our colleagues.

That said, I've known those who make 250K starting, with incentives (in cities where there is tons of competition). I've known some who make 1.5 million (and these are private guys, not necessarily big ortho names). The most I've ever heard of was 6 million, but that's ridiculous and only due to his academic situation and his massive relationship with industry. The actual average is closer to 450K. As for me, I'm luckier than average, but I also do a lot of admin/teaching work that is thankfully taken into account.

Ahhh, gotchya! So the residency was worth it hahaha!


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[OrthoTraumaMD]

Ahhh, gotchya! So the residency was worth it hahaha!


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It would be worth it even if I didn't make as much. I can't imagine a more fun or rewarding career.

 

[Nucleus Accumbens]

It would be worth it even if I didn't make as much. I can't imagine a more fun or rewarding career.

So, slightly unrelated... is it true when people say that fellow surgeons don't really respect anesthesiologists? I was considering it bc I don't care for the cutting but I like the OR. Also, based on your experience with your colleagues, do you think there is still relative job security in that field? (Sorry to divert from ortho related topics)


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[OrthoTraumaMD]

So, slightly unrelated... is it true when people say that fellow surgeons don't really respect anesthesiologists? I was considering it bc I don't care for the cutting but I like the OR. Also, based on your experience with your colleagues, do you think there is still relative job security in that field? (Sorry to divert from ortho related topics)


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There is a bit of animosity yes, because surgeons feel like anesthesia delays unnecessarily and switches in the middle of cases (shift work) and then things get dropped. But a good anesthesiologist is invaluable because they know how to handle complex patients. In the end it's all about having a dialogue among the providers.
As for anesthesia job security, I'm not really sure. So I will not speculate. I think it is a little tougher now because of the increased prevalence of CRNAs.

 

[Mr Roboto]

Extremely varied by location, practice type etc....additionally, we aren't supposed to ever tell each other how much we make, so we don't get too demanding and start driving the salaries up--we were actually warned during graduation not to talk about money with our colleagues.

That said, I've known those who make 250K starting, with incentives (in cities where there is tons of competition). I've known some who make 1.5 million (and these are private guys, not necessarily big ortho names). The most I've ever heard of was 6 million, but that's ridiculous and only due to his academic situation and his massive relationship with industry. The actual average is closer to 450K. As for me, I'm luckier than average, but I also do a lot of admin/teaching work that is thankfully taken into account.

How is it in your favor not to drive up your salaries by discussing figures with each other? Or was this a joke?

 

[libertyyne]

What average age do you think orthopods switch from doing difficult cases to less intense and focus on other roles ?

 

[Chelsea FC]

Extremely varied by location, practice type etc....additionally, we aren't supposed to ever tell each other how much we make, so we don't get too demanding and start driving the salaries up--we were actually warned during graduation not to talk about money with our colleagues.

That said, I've known those who make 250K starting, with incentives (in cities where there is tons of competition). I've known some who make 1.5 million (and these are private guys, not necessarily big ortho names). The most I've ever heard of was 6 million, but that's ridiculous and only due to his academic situation and his massive relationship with industry. The actual average is closer to 450K. As for me, I'm luckier than average, but I also do a lot of admin/teaching work that is thankfully taken into account.

How much of that income do you actually live off of and how much do you invest/spend on other things?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

How is it in your favor not to drive up your salaries by discussing figures with each other? Or was this a joke?

No, it's not a joke. I was actually told not to do this. People do still talk, but most of us keep how much we make to ourselves. There was an incident at my hospital where someone accidentally released the group's salaries to the staff, and it was a huge disaster and caused a lot of problems (people talking about how much everyone was making, going to HR complaining, etc). I think it is our natural competitiveness--we don't want to know if some dude who we think is a worse surgeon than us is making more. It's a weird dynamic, but you would be surprised how hesitant some orthopods are to talk about money.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

What average age do you think orthopods switch from doing difficult cases to less intense and focus on other roles ?

Depends on when they start, but generally I have seen it happen in the last 25% of their career, unless there is a mitigating factor such as illness, family issues etc. Assuming most will work ~35 years starting around the age of 32-33, that would make it around age 55.

 

[Mr Roboto]

No, it's not a joke. I was actually told not to do this. People do still talk, but most of us keep how much we make to ourselves. There was an incident at my hospital where someone accidentally released the group's salaries to the staff, and it was a huge disaster and caused a lot of problems (people talking about how much everyone was making, going to HR complaining, etc). I think it is our natural competitiveness--we don't want to know if some dude who we think is a worse surgeon than us is making more. It's a weird dynamic, but you would be surprised how hesitant some orthopods are to talk about money.

You may already know this, but it's illegal in the US for an employer to tell employees not to discuss their salaries.

Totally understand the competitive nature there!

 

[Chelsea FC]

I said in another post on this thread that other than a few indulgences (car, girly clothes, coffee), I live thrifty. I cook for myself a lot, live in a small place, go to events during discount times (like movie theaters), even use coupons sometimes. I attend hospital lectures and get lunch (residency trick for free food AND cme credit!). It might seem weird for someone making as much as I do, but I have a very clear goal: I am saving up to start a family, and want to set aside money for college for my future kids etc, without reliance on my husband--I have always felt that if I choose to be responsible for something as important as another person, I should be able to afford it completely on my own without help, in case something bad happens (not that I am planning on that!). So overall I would say that I spend about 1/3 of what I make and save the rest. But it's very person dependent. I've seen surgeons who are completely incapable of dealing with the sudden influx of money, and truly live paycheck to paycheck.

Good answer.!

 

[DoctorCrush]

I said in another post on this thread that other than a few indulgences (car, girly clothes, coffee), I live thrifty. I cook for myself a lot, live in a small place, go to events during discount times (like movie theaters), even use coupons sometimes. I attend hospital lectures and get lunch (residency trick for free food AND cme credit!). It might seem weird for someone making as much as I do, but I have a very clear goal: I am saving up to start a family, and want to set aside money for college for my future kids etc, without reliance on my husband--I have always felt that if I choose to be responsible for something as important as another person, I should be able to afford it completely on my own without help, in case something bad happens (not that I am planning on that!). So overall I would say that I spend about 1/3 of what I make and save the rest. But it's very person dependent. I've seen surgeons who are completely incapable of dealing with the sudden influx of money, and truly live paycheck to paycheck.

I bet your walk into clinic with Louboutin and Choo!! #Goals

 

[slowthai]

In your opinion, what makes a great orthopedic residency great?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I bet your walk into clinic with Louboutin and Choo!! #Goals

Heh. I actually wear scrubs to clinic. It's so much easier.

 

[DoctorCrush]

Heh. I actually wear scrubs to clinic. It's so much easier.

I thought @Winged Scapula said it was a surgeon thing to wear suits to clinic and scrubs strictly for OR

You gotta admit, those red bottom shoes would go wonderfully with your sport car

 

[Winged Scapula]

I thought @Winged Scapula said it was a surgeon thing to wear suits to clinic and scrubs strictly for OR

You gotta admit, those red bottom shoes would go wonderfully with your sport car

For a trauma surgeon, wearing scrubs in the office makes sense. It was the only rotation during residency and fellowship that we were allowed to wear scrubs in clinic. You never know when you might have to be in the trauma bay and if your clinic patients have lots of draining wounds, it might damage the Loubs.

There are always exceptions but most non-trauma surgeons IMHO, at least in Gen Surg subspecialties, wear "civilian" clothes to work (or suits if you're at Mayo) outside of the OR.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

What would you recommend to an incoming MS1 that has always been keen on orthopedic surgery? I've always thought it was a great specialty and something I'd been interested in UNTIL I shadowed an orthopedic surgeon and got a consult by one regarding a shoulder / rotator cuff injury I endured during a Super Spartan. I know I shouldn't judge the entire specialty based off of two people but they both just left such a terrible taste in my mouth. One was a grump (the ENTIRE time) and the other just seemed so nonchalant and basically said only reason he chose the specialty was for the money sports medicine fellowship).

The question, how do I reaffirm my interest in orthopedic surgery? Just shadow another doc in school? I feel like that can be hit or miss, with any specialty really, I've learned it really depends on how the doctor enjoys his specialty and his mood lol. Anyways thanks, sorry for that was too long or all over the place.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

In your opinion, what makes a great orthopedic residency great?

Faculty who care about education. That's the number one thing. It is still an apprenticeship model, one of the few that are left. Everything else flows from that. You don't have to have crazy research, or super famous doctors, or the best facilities. Some of the best programs out there are community programs with guys/gals who are really dedicated to their work and to improving themselves, and to teaching the next generation of surgeons how to take care of people. My entire academic life and career was shaped by a few people who took me under their wing; they are the reason I am successful. Most people who apply to orthopedics are very self-motivated and hard-working… They just need a little bit of a kick in the butt to start thriving. A good faculty member can make that happen.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I thought @Winged Scapula said it was a surgeon thing to wear suits to clinic and scrubs strictly for OR

You gotta admit, those red bottom shoes would go wonderfully with your sport car

I'm not a dermatologist, running around in clinic in high heels. Surgeons wear danskos. I can wear my nice shoes on my days off.

On a more serious note, some decent research out there shows that what patients care about is not what you wear, but the white coat. I wear the white coat with my scrubs in clinic, and scrubs only outside of clinic. I don't want casting material on my clothes, particularly Fiberglass, which doesn't wash out. Otherwise I don't give a crap what anybody thinks; if they are judging me by my clothes and not my competence, I am not interested in them.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

What would you recommend to an incoming MS1 that has always been keen on orthopedic surgery? I've always thought it was a great specialty and something I'd been interested in UNTIL I shadowed an orthopedic surgeon and got a consult by one regarding a shoulder / rotator cuff injury I endured during a Super Spartan. I know I shouldn't judge the entire specialty based off of two people but they both just left such a terrible taste in my mouth. One was a grump (the ENTIRE time) and the other just seemed so nonchalant and basically said only reason he chose the specialty was for the money sports medicine fellowship).

The question, how do I reaffirm my interest in orthopedic surgery? Just shadow another doc in school? I feel like that can be hit or miss, with any specialty really, I've learned it really depends on how the doctor enjoys his specialty and his mood lol. Anyways thanks, sorry for that was too long or all over the place.

Shadow someone else. Sounds like those people woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
To play devil's advocate, there is nothing wrong with choosing a career because it makes money. Otherwise, nobody would be going into investment banking, LOL. Personal satisfaction is different for everyone. I could never be in a profession that didn't make me happy, no matter how much money I got paid. But I know plenty of people who would be just fine. All I can say is that nobody is perfect, and even surgeons who are happy with their specialty may have other issues, such as personal life, divorce, illness, things that you don't know much about. Or perhaps you asked annoying questions that day and it's your fault… LOL. The point is, you cannot judge the specialty based on a few individuals. The best thing to do is to obtain additional exposure, assuming that the specialty itself still interests you.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'm not a dermatologist, running around in clinic in high heels. Surgeons wear danskos. I can wear my nice shoes on my days off.

On a more serious note, some decent research out there shows that what patients care about is not what you wear, but the white coat. I wear the white coat with my scrubs in clinic, and scrubs only outside of clinic. I don't want casting material on my clothes, particularly Fiberglass, which doesn't wash out. Otherwise I don't give a crap what anybody thinks; if they are judging me by my clothes and not my competence, I am not interested in them.

Not all surgeons wear Danskos in the office and not all who wear high heels are dermatologists.

I wear high heels every day in the office, seeing between 30 and 40 patients by myself. While some patients will judge you for what you wear, as you note, there is data that supports wearing "nice clothes" in the office. But I do it mostly for myself as I enjoy being out of scrubs and clogs; the patients enjoy it as well, as we are generally talking about pretty serious stuff. My male colleagues wear dress pants, shirt and a tie under their white coat or a suit (even some of my Ortho friends).

In your world, it might not make sense, but there are many of us outside of Ortho who do wear heels in the office, or at the very least don't wear scrubs.

Back to the regularly scheduled programming...

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Not all surgeons wear Danskos in the office and not all who wear high heels are dermatologists.

I wear high heels every day in the office, seeing between 30 and 40 patients by myself. While some patients will judge you for what you wear, as you note, there is data that supports wearing "nice clothes" in the office. But I do it mostly for myself as I enjoy being out of scrubs and clogs; the patients enjoy it as well, as we are generally talking about pretty serious stuff. My male colleagues wear dress pants, shirt and a tie under their white coat or a suit (even some of my Ortho friends).

In your world, it might not make sense, but there are many of us outside of Ortho who do wear heels in the office, or at the very least don't wear scrubs.

Back to the regularly scheduled programming...

It was a joke. To each their own.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Shadow someone else. Sounds like those people woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
To play devil's advocate, there is nothing wrong with choosing a career because it makes money. Otherwise, nobody would be going into investment banking, LOL. Personal satisfaction is different for everyone. I could never be in a profession that didn't make me happy, no matter how much money I got paid. But I know plenty of people who would be just fine. All I can say is that nobody is perfect, and even surgeons who are happy with their specialty may have other issues, such as personal life, divorce, illness, things that you don't know much about. Or perhaps you asked annoying questions that day and it's your fault… LOL. The point is, you cannot judge the specialty based on a few individuals. The best thing to do is to obtain additional exposure, assuming that the specialty itself still interests you.

Thank you! I will take your advice to heart. Thanks for this great thread.

EDIT: scrubs >> "civies"

 

[Winged Scapula]

It was a joke. To each their own.

i'm sorry… I missed the joke emoticon.

You are absolutely right and for the students here you'll learn what fits your environment and culture best and what you feel most comfortable in.

 

[DoctorCrush]

In a poly trauma, do you and GS ever operate on the patient at the same time?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

In a poly trauma, do you and GS ever operate on the patient at the same time?

Yes. Usually in the setting of open fractures or if i need to put on an external fixator on the pelvis in patients getting laparotomy, or on an extremity in the setting of a vascular injury where vascular will be operating at the same time. There are also situations that are non emergent, as in urology putting in a suprapubic tube or doing bladder repair during pelvic surgery.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Could you give me your general thoughts on the field of podiatry and how they relate to Orthopedic surgeons in a clinical and non clinical setting?

What is your opinion on Podiatrists taking on more Foot and Ankle cases, going so far as even creating fellowships in limb salvage and total ankle reconstruction?

Are most Orthopedic Docs (MD/DO) ok working with Pods? Does Ortho view them as equals or at least "On Par" education wise? Or do Orthopods view podiatrists as little more than advanced PAs for the foot and ankle?

Do you work with a DPM (Podiatrist) in the hospital? If so, have you noticed a difference in the way he/she practices with regards to performing ankle or foot surgery?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Could you give me your general thoughts on the field of podiatry and how they relate to Orthopedic surgeons in a clinical and non clinical setting?

What is your opinion on Podiatrists taking on more Foot and Ankle cases, going so far as even creating fellowships in limb salvage and total ankle reconstruction?

Are most Orthopedic Docs (MD/DO) ok working with Pods? Does Ortho view them as equals or at least "On Par" education wise? Or do Orthopods view podiatrists as little more than advanced PAs for the foot and ankle?

Do you work with a DPM (Podiatrist) in the hospital? If so, have you noticed a difference in the way he/she practices with regards to performing ankle or foot surgery?

The personal interactions I've had with podiatrists have been positive. However, I have seen them absolutely butcher foot and ankle fractures, so the experience there has not been good; we see all fractures ourselves. We generally have the podiatrists see the diabetic feet, wound care stuff, gangrene, etc. I think most orthopods view podiatrists as a different specialty that should not be doing complicated bone procedures.

 

[slowthai]

Might be a deep question, but how has going through residency shaped you as an individual?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Might be a deep question, but how has going through residency shaped you as an individual?

Wow that is a deep question. I guess I can't answer in typical orthopod language (i.e., monosyllabic grunting)
Going through residency was actually the most defining event in my life. On the work front, it taught me leadership abilities, speaking skills (via research presentations at major conferences), camaraderie, and how to deal with personal failures (maybe the toughest change of all). On the life front, it taught me how to love someone, and how to appreciate time with my family in a way I had not before. Meeting my mentor and realizing I loved trauma gave me a purpose in life that was laser-precise. I do not exaggerate when I say that I am unrecognizable from the girl I was in high school or even college. Maybe the traits I have now were always there, but residency definitely awakened a confidence that I never thought I would have, and that confidence has resonated throughout all other aspects of my life.

 

[slowthai]

Wow that is a deep question. I guess I can't answer in typical orthopod language (i.e., monosyllabic grunting)
Going through residency was actually the most defining event in my life. On the work front, it taught me leadership abilities, speaking skills (via research presentations at major conferences), camaraderie, and how to deal with personal failures (maybe the toughest change of all). On the life front, it taught me how to love someone, and how to appreciate time with my family in a way I had not before. Meeting my mentor and realizing I loved trauma gave me a purpose in life that was laser-precise. I do not exaggerate when I say that I am unrecognizable from the girl I was in high school or even college. Maybe the traits I have now were always there, but residency definitely awakened a confidence that I never thought I would have, and that confidence has resonated throughout all other aspects of my life.

That's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Thank you.

 

[absolutelynot]

I just wanted to begin by thanking you! This thread has been an excellent read!

What would be some good resources (particular journals or otherwise) for someone interested in learning about current research in orthopedic trauma or orthopedics as a whole?

I was also wondering which institutions or individuals you consider to be leaders in orthopedics (academically or clinically) - whether in trauma or other subspecialties?

 

[Shirafune]

What are the most competitive ortho fellowships to get? For example, is peds ortho very competitive just like peds surg is?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I just wanted to begin by thanking you! This thread has been an excellent read!

What would be some good resources (particular journals or otherwise) for someone interested in learning about current research in orthopedic trauma or orthopedics as a whole?

I was also wondering which institutions or individuals you consider to be leaders in orthopedics (academically or clinically) - whether in trauma or other subspecialties?

You're welcome! This is fun.

Most journals require subscriptions, but your medical school should have access. That said, here are my top journals, obviously slanted toward trauma.

-CORR (clinical orthopaedics and related research)
-JOT (Journal of orthopaedic trauma)
-JBJS (Journal of bone and joint surgery), American and British versions. The British version is now known as the bone and joint journal,
-JAAOS aka the Yellow Journal
-Injury
-Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery

As for institutions and individuals, that is a difficult question. For trauma, just look at past presidents of the OTA (Orthopaedic Trauma Association), on the website. They are all incredible people. There are so many that I cannot list them all, and if I did list those I was close to, I think it would give away my identity.

For institutions, many places are good for different things, but the places that come to mind are HSS, shock trauma, Harborview, UT Houston, Mayo, Rush.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

What are the most competitive ortho fellowships to get? For example, is peds ortho very competitive just like peds surg is?

I don't think any currently stand out in my mind in terms of competitiveness. It really depends on the particular hospital. For example trauma itself is not hard to match, but Houston very hard to match into because of competitiveness of that particular program.

 

[DoctorCrush]

I don't think any currently stand out in my mind in terms of competitiveness. It really depends on the particular hospital. For example trauma itself is not hard to match, but Houston very hard to match into because of competitiveness of that particular program.

What would be the reasons to make a program more competitive than others? e.g. funding or being a standing trauma for a huge population etc?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

What would be the reasons to make a program more competitive than others? e.g. funding or being a standing trauma for a huge population etc?

Famous/knowledgeable faculty, extremely high case volume and complexity, strong research program. Those are the top three, in that order. Also location is a lesser but important factor--middle of nowhere places don't get as many applicants, although the Reno fellowship flouts that rule.

 

[Brahnold Bloodaxe]

I'm torn between EM and Ortho. I think I'd prefer the "work" of Ortho but like the flexibility of shift work in EM (plus the residency is so much shorter).

My question is this: is it possible to live the shift work, X-time on, X-time off lifestyle as an orthopedist? The ultimate in lifestyle that I envision is working balls to the wall for an entire month, and then taking the next month completely off, rinse and repeat.

According to what I've heard, this is achievable in EM by working locums. What about Ortho? Obviously, the traditional practice setup where you run clinic, perform surgery, and are available during the 90 day follow up period is incompatible with the lifestyle I want, but are there "non-traditional" ways of earning a buck in ortho? During my month on I'd be willing to travel anywhere, work weekends, holidays, whatever. Is there any way to make this work, even by just taking call?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I'm torn between EM and Ortho. I think I'd prefer the "work" of Ortho but like the flexibility of shift work in EM (plus the residency is so much shorter).

My question is this: is it possible to live the shift work, X-time on, X-time off lifestyle as an orthopedist? The ultimate in lifestyle that I envision is working balls to the wall for an entire month, and then taking the next month completely off, rinse and repeat.

According to what I've heard, this is achievable in EM by working locums. What about Ortho? Obviously, the traditional practice setup where you run clinic, perform surgery, and are available during the 90 day follow up period is incompatible with the lifestyle I want, but are there "non-traditional" ways of earning a buck in ortho? During my month on I'd be willing to travel anywhere, work weekends, holidays, whatever. Is there any way to make this work, even by just taking call?

There are Ortho locums so technically I think it is possible, but I don't know anyone who does it long term because it doesn't pay as much. In addition, I assume you would need to have a relationship with a group so they can follow your patients in clinic. Continuity of care is a huge part of Ortho as patients take up to 3-6 months to heal. I don't really think a group would want that, because they wouldn't get paid for the procedure and the 90 days after that cannot be charged. I've never met anyone who does locums work, so I can't really help. Sorry. I would think EM is a better option if you want that lifestyle. Not really compatible with what I do and see every day.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Say that an applicant had honored all of their 3rd year clerkships, but then got a pass in medicine at the end, would you consider that a red flag or that it was probably an anomaly?

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Say that an applicant had honored all of their 3rd year clerkships, but then got a pass in medicine at the end, would you consider that a red flag or that it was probably an anomaly?

Not at all. We care about honors on your aways and on your surgery rotations, and that you don't fail something. A pass in medicine will not hurt you.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Not at all. We care about honors on your aways and on your surgery rotations, and that you don't fail something. A pass in medicine will not hurt you.

That's good to hear. I can't say this will end up the case (and technically there was a high pass in family med at the beginning ), but I've been unlucky this rotation by getting evals that have great comments, but with numerical scores that don't meet the honors cutoff, and then they decided to make the OSCE harder than everyone else because we're the last group, lol.