Orthopaedic surgeons lead busy working lives seeing and treating
patients with organic problems that (in many cases) are amenable to
surgical management. The specialty is attractive because it is very
practical and the results are readily tangible. Colleagues in this
field are generally very supportive of one another and enthusiastic
members of their professional body, the New Zealand Orthopaedic
Association. In general, orthopaedic surgeons are passionate about
their work and go to work not only to make a living and help their
patients, but also for the great enjoyment they derive from their
work and from contact with their colleagues.
You must be able to communicate with patients and colleagues. You
will need to be energetic and capable of a moderate to heavy
workload and you should possess aptitude for acquiring technical and
procedural skills. Common sense and good clinical judgement are
essential.
A typical working day for a hospital-based consultant usually
commences somewhere between 7.00am and 8.00am and finishes somewhere
around (or after) 5.00pm. There is a heavy component of patient care
in most orthopaedic schedules, with consultations, pre-operative
checks, surgery and post-operative follow-up, as well as outpatient
clinics.
Orthopaedic surgery remains a rapidly expanding field. Orthopaedic
knowledge and technology is expanding exponentially resulting each
year in new procedures and significant new ways of helping and
treating patients. The aging population and the desire to remain
active into old age present particular challenges.
It would probably be helpful to discuss the specialty with
individual orthopaedic surgeons to find out what they perceive as
being the advantages and disadvantages of a career in this field.
You can also discuss this with your local representative on the
Education Committee at the NZ Orthopaedics Association.
You should be aware before entering the training programme that the
clinical training schedule is arduous. If you enter this specialty
you can look forward to a busy life of consulting and surgery,
though there are also considerable opportunities for teaching and
research.
With the increasing average age of the population and the
advancement of technology there will be a significant increase in
demand for the services of orthopaedic surgeons in the future. The
problem will be securing funding, either from private or public
sources, to finance treatment options and procedures. It is also
possible for orthopaedic surgeons to develop academic careers based
either on surgical or research practice. The specialty offers
research opportunities in diverse areas that include molecular
biology and engineering.
New Zealand needs a greater proportion of female orthopaedic
surgeons. Orthopaedic surgery has provided most practising surgeons
with great opportunities for travel. It is possible to spend a
proportion of basic and training overseas but most surgeons in
training defer travel until they have completed their fellowship
examination and then generally spend between one and two years
obtaining additional training overseas. Overseas conferences provide
ongoing opportunities for surgeons who have returned to New Zealand
and established themselves in practice and many surgeons commonly
travel overseas to conferences twice a more per year.
It is important to have the support of spouse and family as ongoing
clinical care can impact on family life. The vast majority of
orthopaedic surgeons, however, manage to find a satisfactory balance
between the some times conflicting needs of work, lifestyle and
relationships.
It would be worthwhile talking to registrars who have been
accepted into the programme to gain an understanding of what the
selection process entails. or speak to your local NZOA Education
Committee representative. Contributors have commented that training
is arduous, but if undertaken with the right attitude it should be a
highly enjoyable and rewarding period of your career.
