Orthopaedic Surgery

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"Programs will typically have 100 - 150 ERAS applicants per categorical position, of which approximately 10 - 15 applicants per position are selected for interview."

- University of Florida Department of Orthopaedic Surgery¹

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The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement

Overview of Residency Training

To become an orthopaedic surgeon, five years of residency training are required. According to the AMA and AAMC, there are over 3,300 residents training in 155 ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency programs. Ninety-six percent are USMDs, 3% are international medical graduates, and 1% are osteopathic graduates. 

2011 Match Data

In the 2011 NRMP Match, 186 of the 807 U.S. seniors applicants failed to match, making orthopaedic surgery one of the most competitive specialties.² The mean USMLE Step 1 score among matched U.S. seniors was 240. For unmatched U.S. seniors, the mean score was 225.

Relatively few of the available positions in orthopaedic surgery residency programs are filled by international medical graduate and osteopathic applicants. Osteopathic students may also apply to AOA-approved residency programs in orthopaedic surgery. Over 30 such programs exist.

2010 Orthopaedic Surgeon Compensation/Salary

Find out how much an orthopaedic surgeon makes

Subspecialties of Orthopaedic Surgery

Subspecialties in which orthopaedic surgeons can pursue fellowship training leading to board certification include orthopaedic sports medicine and surgery of the hand. Fellowship training is also available in adult reconstructive orthopaedics, foot and ankle orthopaedics, musculoskeletal oncology, orthopaedic surgery of the spine, orthopaedic trauma, and pediatric orthopaedics.

Excelling in your Core Clerkships

In a recent NRMP survey of orthopaedic surgery residency program directors, 67% cited "honors in clinical clerkships" as a factor in selecting applicants to interview.³ Our book, Success on the Wards: 250 Rules for Clerkship Success shows students proven strategies for success in core clerkships. Nineteen U.S. medical school have made our book a required or recommended text for third-year medical students. Read reviews of the book and Q & A with the authors. The first chapter is available free to read. The book can be purchased through our online store or at Amazon. 

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Application

Almost all residency programs require applicants to submit their completed application through the Electronic Residency Application Service, also known as ERAS. ERAS does not, however, allow applicants to submit their curriculum vitae or CV as part of this application. Instead, ERAS requires all applicants to transfer information from their CV to the ERAS Application Form. It is the ERAS Application Form that is then sent to programs for review along with the the rest of your application.

Once the application is received, program directors will read it closely and carefully. The application will be used to assess the quality of your written communication skills. Programs place considerable emphasis on communication skills because effective communication has been shown to directly affect the quality of care given to patients.

Therefore, it is imperative that all information in your application is well communicated and error-free. In our experiences reviewing and editing applications, errors are common.

We have considerable experience reviewing and editing the ERAS Application Form can make sure that your application is polished, professional, and powerful.

Our ERAS Application Review/Editing Service can be purchased through our online store. All clients will work directly with Dr. Samir Desai, author of The Successful Match.

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Letters of Recommendation

In our e-document The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement, you'll find answers to important questions about the role of letters of recommendation in the orthopaedic surgery residency selection process. How many letters should be submitted by orthopaedic surgeons? Is the Chairman's letter necessary? Who should you target? Should you obtain a letter from an away elective in orthopaedic surgery?

Written by Dr. Samir Desai, author of the book The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match, this e-document combines a thorough search of the literature with inside information from program directors to give you powerful information. The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement is available through our online store.

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Personal Statement

In a NRMP survey of orthopaedic surgery residency program directors, 70% considered the personal statement to be extremely or somewhat important for selecting an applicant to interview.³

In our e-document The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement, you'll find tips and quotes from program directors offering important advice about the personal statement. What is the most important aspect of the statement? What should you address in the statement? How should you begin your statement? How can you develop a statement that is different from most applicants?

It can be difficult to develop a unique and compelling personal statement. Our information based on the perspectives of program directors combined with a thorough review of the literature will help you create a statement that sets you apart from other applicants.

The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement is written by Dr. Samir Desai, author of the book The Successful Match: 200 Rules to Succeed in the Residency Match.

Our e-document The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement is available through our online store.

Orthopaedic Surgery Away Elective (Audition Elective)

Should you do an away elective? How important is an away elective in orthopaedic surgery? What are the benefits of an away elective? How can you shine during the elective? In our e-document The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement, we combine a thorough search of the literature with inside information from program directors to give you powerful information to make away elective decisions. The Successful Match: Orthopaedic Surgery Supplement is available through our online store.

Important Information for the Aspiring Orthopaedic Surgeon

Professionalism in 21st century professional practice: autonomy and accountability in orthopaedic surgery

Medical malpractice and the sports medicine clinician

Business challenges to our professionalism

Meeting the challenges of certification and maintenance of board certification

An AOA critical issue: aging of the North American population: new challenges for orthopaedics

Great to greater: opportunities and challenges for the American Orthopaedic Association in the early twenty-first century. Challenges in our academic mission

The challenges of change: is orthopaedics ready?

Volunteering in Africa: an orthopaedic surgeon-pilot flies to Africa to volunteer

Evolving volunteerism

Barriers to minority participation in the orthopaedic profession. Personal perspectives

Barriers to minorities in the orthopaedic profession

Ensuring the success of women in academic orthopaedics

References

¹University of Florida Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Available at: http://medinfo.ufl.edu:8050/year3/rtprograms.pdf
²NRMP Charting Outcomes in the Match, 2011. Available at www.nrmp.org
³NRMP Program Director Survey. Available at www.nrmp.org