Anyone shadowed an Orthopedic Surgeon?

[Handyman2Doc]

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I am looking for info from anyone that has had the opportunity to shadow an ortho surg. If you or someone you know was able to do this, I would appreciate it if you could elaborate as to how you went about setting it up, whether you were able to observe surgical procedures, and how you felt about the experience in general

Thanks much!

 

[superdevil]

it was a blast!

it was easy for me to set up, because i contacted a surgeon who had previously worked on me, and we had a good rapport. i would just call his secretary the week before, say when i could show up, and she'd tell me where to be; piece of cake. i followed him around for both office hours and lots of surgeries (by far the most interesting--though the office visits provided lots of learning opportunities, too). i thought it was frickin' great, but, like i said, i shadowed someone i already knew. i think that made it easier on me as far as adapting to the environment and feeling comfortable.

if you don't know anyone, ask your family doc if he/she has any recommendations. failing that, if you live close to a med school, look up the orthopedic surgeons listed as faculty on their websites and start sending out some emails. what's the worst that could happen?

 

[vikaskoth]

like superdevil, I shadowed and ortho, but my bro had done the same two years earlier and he was an acquantaince of my parents. I still had to call and ask, but his staff was very receptive as was he. He regularly lets students shadow. I watched the first surgery and then would scrub in on almost everyone after, it was a pretty sweet experience. But watchin orthopedic surgeries was good way to gain exposure, knee's and hips are big and easily visible so you can see what they are doing in the OR. Arthroscopic ones are alright, it gets boring to just watch after awhile.

 

[YzIa]

I worked at the hospital where I shadowed an orthopod. The doctor I shadowed happened to be an amazing person/doctor and we got on very well. I ended up shadowing multiple times (clinical and surgical) and had a blast. I think the big thing is somehow having an in, whether thru work or personal experience. Often if the doctor is cool and you are not a burden you'll be invited back to learn and experience more.

 

[Avenue Q]

I shadowed a group of pediatric orthopedic surgeons in Vietnam for a month. It was a great experience... I don't think how I arranged it could help you out though considering the unique situation...

I learned a lot from the experience, and scrubbed in on many many surgries. They even frewquently asked me to help out, and I would have if I hadn't signed a contract saying I would not perform any procedures.

I also learned that i do not want to be a surgeon. I like being with patient when they are awake much more than when they are not. Oh, and the smell of burning flesh kinda grosses me out.

I would agree with the previous posters about asking your primary for a referal.

Good luck playing with the cowboys!

 

[45408]

There's an organization that connects physicians with students, and I requested an orthopedic surgeon and got to shadow him. I only went once (saw some knees getting scoped), but I'd also seen a total knee replacement while shadowing the anesthesiologist.

 

[Handyman2Doc]

Thanks a lot for the input, folks.

Unfortunately, I don't really have any solid connections at this time, but I am currently building a house for a local dermatologist and volunteering my weekends in the regional ED. Maybe I can pull a few strings there. If that does not work then I guess I can always break out the phone book and get to "cold" calling. 😀

 

[DrThom]

I hold retractors on a bunch of orthopedic cases, mainly TKAs and two-incision hips. I have to say that it is a very cool field. Like carpentry, except for bone.

 

[Handyman2Doc]

Like carpentry, expect for bone.

I think that is exactly the reason that I am drawn to ortho. It seems to be a very tactile field. If something is "broken", you fix it with skill, knowledge and at times a bit of creativity. Ortho is not the only field that I am interested in, but I get a lot of satisfaction from the sense of completion I get when I finish building a house and I am inclined to believe that orthopods experience the same.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

i didnt shadow one..but i know one as a friend
hes very nice and even though i am there as a friend he tries to teach me..very cute 🙂
seems like a great professional speciality to shadow ..lots of interesting material and cases 🙂

 

[45408]

I think that is exactly the reason that I am drawn to ortho. It seems to be a very tactile field. If something is "broken", you fix it with skill, knowledge and at times a bit of creativity. Ortho is not the only field that I am interested in, but I get a lot of satisfaction from the sense of completion I get when I finish building a house and I am inclined to believe that orthopods experience the same.

Yeah, that is definitely one of the things that I was most interested in - the hands-on fix-it approach. Too bad it's a really competitive field.

 

[Handyman2Doc]

I agree. I am concerned about the competiveness as well. That is partly why I would like to establish a good rapport with as many orthopods as possible. I am sure that the medical field is just like any other; it's not just what you know, but who you know. 🙄

 

[JDWflash44]

I GET PAID to basically shadow orthopods. I work at a privately owned office in exeter NH. It is awesome. I'm part of the clinical support staff. I go into the room with the doctor and patient and fill out all the paper work for the doctor so that he doesnt have to do it. Superbills, PT scripts, drug scripts, surgical booking forms, etc. I also draw up injections for them and make sure they have the models they need, go over the charts for the next days appts, stuff like that. I have learnered soooooo much working there. Its unbelievable and i still cant believe that they pay me to do it. It started as an unpaid internship, then they hired me. You can checkout where i work at: www.accesssportsmed.com

 

[Handyman2Doc]

Anyone else got any info to share?

 

[Ganglion1212]

Anyone else got any info to share?

I have had 7 surgeries to deal with a screwed up ACL that some average orthopod attempted on my knee. This has led to all types of problems. I personally can't stand most of them. That being said, had I gone to a top orthopod the first time around I would not be in this situation.

My advice: find out who the best orthos are in your area. Do not waste your time shadowing mediocre docs. Learn who the best are (e.g. who is the ortho for the local college team, pro team, olympic skiiers). Bad doctors/especially surgeons can screw you up for life and turn an elective procedure into a chronic conditioin.

I am a little bitter about this field.

 

[acidhouse303]

i dated an orthopedic surgeon last fall here in manhattan.
i guess i saw some of the stuff he did, it was very casual. and fun! the ppl he worked w/ were all very nice, i dont think its very formal at all.

i also shadowed a general surgeon a couple times but that was really easy to set up bc my dad was friends w him (hes an anesthesiologist) most of the docs ive met have been really great people

 

[medic170]

I am looking for info from anyone that has had the opportunity to shadow an ortho surg. If you or someone you know was able to do this, I would appreciate it if you could elaborate as to how you went about setting it up, whether you were able to observe surgical procedures, and how you felt about the experience in general

Thanks much!

I knew an Ortho resident that moonlighted at the urgent care I worked at, and he let me come to the hospital with him for a day. Maybe your family doc or someone else could set you up with one?

 

[Avenue Q]

I have had 7 surgeries to deal with a screwed up ACL that some average orthopod attempted on my knee. This has led to all types of problems. I personally can't stand most of them. That being said, had I gone to a top orthopod the first time around I would not be in this situation.

My advice: find out who the best orthos are in your area. Do not waste your time shadowing mediocre docs. Learn who the best are (e.g. who is the ortho for the local college team, pro team, olympic skiiers). Bad doctors/especially surgeons can screw you up for life and turn an elective procedure into a chronic conditioin.

I am a little bitter about this field.

I must say, bitter about it myself as well. I went to 4, count em, 4, orthopods who all had no idea what was wrong with me. If just one of them had asked me if i condsidered myself double jointed they would have had a diagnosis, instead of thousands of dollars in x-rays and mri's.

One of them got really excited after seeing me, and told me "you have to become a doctor now! all good doctors have really wacked out medical problems!"

The problem with a lot of orthopedic problems is that if surgery cannot fix it, there really isn't anything you can do. I could have surgeries, but they wouldn't work. Thankfully I went to a doctor who diagnosed me before i met one who wanted to cut, because i could have been going though one after another with no positive results. Not that this doc can do anything other than send me off to physical therapy, which really doesnt do anything.

Hey future orthopods: how about inventing some new treatment plans?

 

[priyanka]

I'm getting a chance to shadow an orthopaedic surgeon next quarter. We had our first meeting and he seemed to be very receptive and comfortable with being my mentor. He said I could walk in any time he wants me to as far as my timings match with his. He is a trauma doctor so it should be all the more exciting.

:crossfingers: I just hope our timings match.