A branch of surgery that is concerned with musculoskeletal system is known as orthopedics. An orthopedist uses non surgical or surgical methods of providing treatment to injured patients or to patients who are victims of tumors, degenerative diseases or congenital disorders. Becoming a Maryland orthopedic surgeon is not an easy task. It all begins with education where an individual must undergo four years of study as an undergraduate and another four in medical school.

After graduating from medical school, there is another five years that needs to be done in residency training. In these five years, one is for general surgery and the rest are for practice in orthopedic surgery. An orthopedist may also consider doing fellowships after getting done with residency training. Fellowship training takes a year or two in orthopedics. Some of the subspecialties in orthopedics are pediatric orthopedics, elbow and shoulder surgery, musculoskeletal oncology, arthroplasty, hand surgery and spine surgery among others.

Note that some of these specialties are not limited to orthopedic surgery alone. Hand surgery for instance is also carried out by plastic surgeons while spine surgery can also be carried out by neurosurgeons. Another specialty that can accommodate other physicians is foot and ankle surgery which is also carried out by doctors of podiatric medicine who are certified. Completing residency training does not guarantee an orthopedist that he is qualified for the work. It is the certificate given by the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists or American Board of Medical Specialties that shows that an orthopedist is qualified to perform surgery.

The two boards set exams which are must pass exams for any orthopedist. The examination process demands for completion of written and oral exams which focus on a physicians surgical and clinical performance in a period of six months. Most medical boards require students to pass their exams with high scores due to the notion that there is no room for errors when treating a patient.

Arthroscopy is a technique that many orthopedists like to use when applying treatment to patients. The method is believed to speed up the process of recovery as compared to an open surgery that may force a patient to recover in months. The most common example of arthroscopy is knee arthroscopy which may sometimes be used together with chondroplasty or meniscectomy to quicken the healing process.

Arthroplasty is another technique widely used by orthopedic physicians in surgeries. It is a technique that replaces joints with other materials such as high density polythene or metals. This is one of the techniques you may have to choose when you need your hip joint to be replaced. The method may also work well for spinal joint, elbow joint or wrist joint.

If you think of orthopedic surgery as a potential career choice, do a research first on the various subspecialties that fall in this profession. Also assess the money you may need for studying the course. Note that many medical courses are expensive to pay for.

The high amounts of fees should not discourage you if this is your top choice career. Look for education loans from various education organizations around your area of residence or sponsorship deals. It is important however that you should obtain high grades in high school especially in science subjects if you aspire to become a Maryland orthopedic surgeon.