are there any ortho docs that do mostly trauma?

[reedman]

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at a level one trauma center it seems like one could make a living doing trauma cases, and maybe fill out one's schedule doing surgeries for whatever other patients the hospital has.

does anyone do this kind of thing? just operating on sick patients, no electives?

 

[DHT]

This is VERY common. They are called orthopaedic traumatologists and typically do a trauma fellowship after residency. They basically take anything that comes in overnight that can wait till the morning.

The traumatologists do have clinic though and they will book elective cases for things like malunions, nonunions, hardware removal, ect (not sure if you consider these elective or not).

 

[Encephalectomy]

They often focus on acetabular fractures and other complex traumatic injuries. I don't know for sure, but my impression is that most or at least a lot of academic level 1 trauma centers have a fellowship trained ortho traumatologists. Definitely a cool field.

 

[irie]

http://www.ota.org

Orthopaedic Trauma Association

 

[Therecanbeonlyo]

at a level one trauma center it seems like one could make a living doing trauma cases, and maybe fill out one's schedule doing surgeries for whatever other patients the hospital has.

does anyone do this kind of thing? just operating on sick patients, no electives?

Yes. No question. They will see clinic to follow up these patients and as was said above re-operate for malunion, nonunion, etc. but Yes.