ortho attending AMA

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pbrocks15 said:
If someone is super knowledgeable does that increase their chance at matching you think? Might seem like a dumb question but just curious if those people who gotten to know more ortho through extra rotations before aways have a significant advantage or if it's just about the same in how you appear to attendings.

We dont really get much ortho exposure here until it's about time to do aways meanwhile a buddy of mine gets to essentially do a full rotation with his institution before his actual Sub-I or any aways.
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Just wanted to chime in about this. One chief I worked with on an away told me, I don't care what you know when you start this rotation. Every one of you has had a different experience in med school up to this point. For some of you this might be your first rotation, while for others it's the third. It doesn't make sense to compare you based on that. What's important is that if we teach you something that you remember it the next time it's asked.

Was a great teacher (also gave a killer presentation on the basics of fixation). Thought it was a great method for residents to use. Unfortunately I'm sure not all take this view, but hopefully it's the majority out there.
 
Chillbo Baggins said:
Just wanted to chime in about this. One chief I worked with on an away told me, I don't care what you know when you start this rotation. Every one of you has had a different experience in med school up to this point. For some of you this might be your first rotation, while for others it's the third. It doesn't make sense to compare you based on that. What's important is that if we teach you something that you remember it the next time it's asked.

Was a great teacher (also gave a killer presentation on the basics of fixation). Thought it was a great method for residents to use. Unfortunately I'm sure not all take this view, but hopefully it's the majority out there.
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That really is great! I would love to work under someone like that. Thanks for sharing, that makes me feel better haha
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
No. I don’t care how much you know at baseline. I care about your enthusiasm in gaining that knowledge. I want to see preparedness and interest… If you know the answers to questions, that is great, but I place much more emphasis on hard work and honesty.


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Could you kindly comment on how you judge/see honesty in a student?
 
FistLength said:
Could you kindly comment on how you judge/see honesty in a student?
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When they pretend they know about the patient when they actually don’t. Or know about the case when they don’t. You would be surprised how many people try to make things up on the fly. When I ask them what the x-ray shows, and they know the patient had a fracture but they cannot describe it (not due to a lack of knowledge but because they haven’t looked at it carefully).


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How low did your institution go on your rank list this year?
 
What do you think would be the most beneficial fourth year electives for an incoming ortho intern?
 
VincentAdultman said:
Gotta take all the metal out...only way to know for sure.
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This is more like, they have a tendency to diagnose postoperative wound infections, when there are none. I keep telling them to leave the diagnosis of wound infection to the surgeon who actually did the surgery.


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Any advice on evening out muscle imbalances post ACL reconstruction? (semitendinosus autograft from affected leg)
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
This is more like, they have a tendency to diagnose postoperative wound infections, when there are none. I keep telling them to leave the diagnosis of wound infection to the surgeon who actually did the surgery.


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Lol this is something I see a lot with my joint patients when they go to rehab. If you're worried about a postop infection after TKA then let me know so I can see them and evaluate. Please don't just put them on Keflex and not tell me and then have them follow up as scheduled in a week.
 
In a perfect world, what would your ideal practice setup look like?
 
Fracture said:
In a perfect world, what would your ideal practice setup look like?
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Pretty close to what I have now actually. A one-hospital (for the most part) practice with teaching responsibility, an academic day, and a partner who has zero interest in academic pursuits and thus allows me to travel to conferences, do research, and pursue my ambitions. The only way this could be better is if I were in (insert major city where I grew up) close to my family, instead of a smaller, more suburban city. But major cities are saturated and the pay is much less than what I make here...


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OrthoTraumaMD said:
Actually I enjoy that he works. His hours are much more flexible, and he can work from home if he wants to, which is very convenient. He also travels sometimes to oversee projects in other cities, so it is the perfect marriage for a creature like me, who needs her space. If he were a stay at home dad, he’d never leave the house, and I’m not sure I would respect him as a man (and he wouldn’t either, by his own admission). I still hold some old school views about that. I know he’ll never make what I do, but a man needs to be a man and work to support his family.


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Do you hold any traditional views about female gender roles? Are those hard to make compatible with ortho? Have you ever felt marginalized for upholding any of the conventional norms of femininity that you sponsor (femininity, not specifically being a woman per say)?

did you ever consider adopting children rather than having biological ones?
 
What unique ways have you seen orthos use their degrees? I know a lot of doors are really open for you in the world when you start to practice but would just like to hear of maybe a few unique ways you've seen people use their degrees.

Thanks a bunch!
 
pbrocks15 said:
What unique ways have you seen orthos use their degrees? I know a lot of doors are really open for you in the world when you start to practice but would just like to hear of maybe a few unique ways you've seen people use their degrees.

Thanks a bunch!
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Nothing special really. Usually industry, acting as consultants or inventors. Some go into politics (Tom Price).


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Hi quick question. I am about to graduate from my sports medicine fellowship and will be joining a multispecialty group practice. Starting with me in the practice will be another sports trained ortho doc as well. My question is should I be anxious and/or worried about both of us starting in the practice at the same time due to possible competition with each other, etc? Anything I can do to help referrals come my way? Of course I don't want the other doc to fail, i hope we both can succeed concurrently but just a bit anxious about it since we're both new and need to build up a practice soon before our guaranteed contracts are over.

I understand that certainly the group would not have hired two people with similar training if the patient volume was not there. But guess you never know. If it changes anything, I will be coming in with "better" training as the institutions I trained at are more well known, but I presume this won't mean anything. How should I be selling myself to the other docs in the groups? Thanks.
 
md_doc said:
Hi quick question. I am about to graduate from my sports medicine fellowship and will be joining a multispecialty group practice. Starting with me in the practice will be another sports trained ortho doc as well. My question is should I be anxious and/or worried about both of us starting in the practice at the same time due to possible competition with each other, etc? Anything I can do to help referrals come my way? Of course I don't want the other doc to fail, i hope we both can succeed concurrently but just a bit anxious about it since we're both new and need to build up a practice soon before our guaranteed contracts are over.

I understand that certainly the group would not have hired two people with similar training if the patient volume was not there. But guess you never know. If it changes anything, I will be coming in with "better" training as the institutions I trained at are more well known, but I presume this won't mean anything. How should I be selling myself to the other docs in the groups? Thanks.
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Before I answer I just want to clarify—are you an orthopaedic surgeon or a primary care doc trained in sports medicine?


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both myself and the other doc joining the group are orthopedic surgeons by training with fellowships in sports medicine.
 
md_doc said:
both myself and the other doc joining the group are orthopedic surgeons by training with fellowships in sports medicine.
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Difficult question, as this is private practice type stuff and I have never done private practice. But some of my friends are in these types of jobs… If the group hired two of you, then I assume there is enough work for both of you and you both will get referrals. I would check with the head of the group, or whoever your chair is, to see how they plan on arranging you. Maybe one of you will cover certain teams or areas. Or it could be like the hunger games and they’re just looking to see who is better so they can keep that person. In either case, just do what good sports guys do… Cover call, be available for trainers and referrals, and do a good job. That’s really all I can say without actually being in that world.

I’ll reach out to my friend who is a private sports doc in a multi specialty group, and ask if he has any other advice. I’ll post another message with his response when I get it.


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Is there such thing as TOO much research experience? In other words, can extensive involvement in research/pubs actually hurt an applicant at the less research heavy programs? Will they assume you're only interested in research heavy programs??
 
Bones Bones Bones said:
Is there such thing as TOO much research experience? In other words, can extensive involvement in research/pubs actually hurt an applicant at the less research heavy programs? Will they assume you're only interested in research heavy programs??
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If you come from a research heavy med school or have done a research year, then no. They may look at you funny if you have like 40 publications (that has happened), but generally it’s not seen as a deficit in any way.


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OrthoTraumaMD said:
If you come from a research heavy med school or have done a research year, then no. They may look at you funny if you have like 40 publications (that has happened), but generally it’s not seen as a deficit in any way.


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Got it, thanks for the quick response! This thread has been such a lifesaver for me. I can't thank you enough. :bow:
 
Bones Bones Bones said:
Got it, thanks for the quick response! This thread has been such a lifesaver for me. I can't thank you enough. :bow:
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You're welcome. It's funny, some "pre-podiatry" jerk on another thread in pre-allo said something about the doctors here being fake, as if there was no way any physician could possibly want to contribute/mentor people online. Idiot.
 
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OrthoTraumaMD said:
You're welcome. It's funny, some "pre-podiatry" jerk on another thread in pre-allo said something about the doctors here being fake, as if there was no way any physician could possibly want to contribute/mentor people online. Idiot.
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These 20 pages of straightforward actionable advice are clearly the first step in your nefarious plans for.... A pyramid scheme? A lucrative SDN tell-all book?
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
You're welcome. It's funny, some "pre-podiatry" jerk on another thread in pre-allo said something about the doctors here being fake, as if there was no way any physician could possibly want to contribute/mentor people online. Idiot.
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I didn’t apply (or consider) ortho but I frequently read this thread because it’s so legit and it’s cool to see you advise so many people 👍
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
I still work 80 hours/week but much of it consists of admin/research/educational efforts. Clinically it's anywhere from 40-50 depending on how much trauma comes in. Trauma is seasonal so summer is worse for the polytraumas, winter worse for fragility fx (wrists, ankles, hips). Changes from week to week. Some days I have lots of free time, other days I work all day. Not predictable, unlike the rest of ortho.
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So would you say that a Trauma Ortho Surgeon in a non-academic hospital would have as busy of a week? Also, would one have time to do elective ortho procedures as well?
 
Wibz said:
So would you say that a Trauma Ortho Surgeon in a non-academic hospital would have as busy of a week? Also, would one have time to do elective ortho procedures as well?
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First question: likely not as busy, but depends on the place. If you’re a level 2 and acting as the only trauma center in a large community then yes. If there are tons of referral centers where you are, then no.
Second question: depends on what you want to do, and whether your elective partners are OK with you doing elective procedures.


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For a standard nailable femoral fracture (like diaphyseal, for instance), what starting point do you like to use if you're going antegrade? I know that it can depend on fracture characteristics and other things, but what is the one you find the most widely applicable?
 
Fracture said:
For a standard nailable femoral fracture (like diaphyseal, for instance), what starting point do you like to use if you're going antegrade? I know that it can depend on fracture characteristics and other things, but what is the one you find the most widely applicable?
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Trochanteric. More predictable if you’re skilled, and easier to find particularly in fat patients, which many of mine are.


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Sorry for the lack of knowledge, but do any surgeons like yourself do any non-traumatic procedures? And yes, we have one lvl 2 trauma center where I live and it serves as the regional trauma center. I think there is only one ortho trauma guy there, so if I go that route there should be a demand for ortho trauma when I'm ready to move back home. I have always wanted to do ortho an I love working in the ER now, so I think that will be right up my alley.
 
Wibz said:
Sorry for the lack of knowledge, but do any surgeons like yourself do any non-traumatic procedures? And yes, we have one lvl 2 trauma center where I live and it serves as the regional trauma center. I think there is only one ortho trauma guy there, so if I go that route there should be a demand for ortho trauma when I'm ready to move back home. I have always wanted to do ortho an I love working in the ER now, so I think that will be right up my alley.
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Some do. I know people who did two fellowships, one in trauma and one in joints, so elective joints are part of their practice. Others like me are exclusively trauma, but often do non “trauma” things as part of their call coverage - I’ve chopped off plenty of necrotic feet/toes, drained pus from everywhere, etc etc. But most of us prefer to do only trauma, and went into it precisely because we hated everything else. It takes a certain masochistic mindset to do trauma because of its unpredictability in your life, so if we had a choice to do something else, we would do that. But we either hate everything else with a passion, or love trauma just that much. Every ortho traumatologist is on that spectrum—I’m about 25% hatred of other subspecialties, and 75% love of trauma.
And just be careful—one ortho trauma person per hospital may be more than enough, depending on the patient volume. So just because there is only one doesn’t mean there will be a demand for another.


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Hi @OrthoTraumaMD , does your program look candidates up on facebook/twitter/myspace during the interview process? Wondering if there is any legitimacy to people changing their profile names, deactivating etc.
 
halfwaycrooks said:
Hi @OrthoTraumaMD , does your program look candidates up on facebook/twitter/myspace during the interview process? Wondering if there is any legitimacy to people changing their profile names, deactivating etc.
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Not officially. But you cannot stop what people do in their private time. So if you have anything on there that you don’t want your program to see, it is best to deactivate for the interview process period. Even during residency, my co-residents changed their names on Facebook.

And just as a friendly piece of advice. I have said this before... do not become overly friendly with your coworkers, particularly on social media. You don’t want your party photos to be the subject of gossip in the nurses’ lounge in the operating room, which it will be within a day of you posting them. When I was a resident, I had a moratorium on friending people that I worked with. I was not Facebook friends with anyone in the hospital, including the people in my class. I got some weird looks for it, but ultimately it turned out in my favor. I became friends with some of them on Facebook after I graduated. Just think of it this way… Your residency is the final step of a career you’ve been pursuing for a decade or more… Do you really want to put it in jeopardy over some stupid social media post? See the idiot Eugene Gu fiasco, and others.

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This isn't exactly ortho related but I noticed that you were kind of new-ish to SDN and wondered what made join? Most people on here seem to be pre med and med students seeking advice so it's kind of hard to imagine why an attending would be on this site if they hadn't started out in one of the previously mentioned positions. I imagine that attendings and most people past med school have a bad view of the site.
 
Ms Procrastinator said:
This isn't exactly ortho related but I noticed that you were kind of new-ish to SDN and wondered what made join? Most people on here seem to be pre med and med students seeking advice so it's kind of hard to imagine why an attending would be on this site if they hadn't started out in one of the previously mentioned positions. I imagine that attendings and most people past med school have a bad view of the site.
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It was just another opportunity to teach and mentor. I had never heard of SDN when I was in medical school, or even residency. Basically I was googling around and came across it, and liked what I saw. I was at a lull in terms of mentoring at the time, and had some free time, so I started the thread, and just never stopped. I had no preconceived notions about the site. Personally, having been on it for a while, I do not really understand why somebody would have a bad view of it. I guess people just don’t really appreciate brutal honesty that much.


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What are your go to OR shoes that won't make my feet kill me at the end of the day?
 
halfwaycrooks said:
What are your go to OR shoes that won't make my feet kill me at the end of the day?
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FLMNUP6l.jpg


Oh wait I thought I was replying to winged scapula
 
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