Orthopaedics as a Mechanical Engineer

[petomed]

You can't simply erase your past training, regardless of the field you come from when switching into medicine. Forces and moments on the micro and macro scale, design optimizations and original solutions to unique problems. That's how I think, always have, and have been doing it full-time for six years now. My background and training as a mechanical engineer seems it may give me a leg up in a specialty like orthopedics, whether it be a better understanding of complex manipulations and reconstructions, or getting involved in novel device research and design. Is anyone in orthopaedics able to comment?

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[Goro]

First, get into medical school, then worry about specialty.

Some of my clinical colleagues describe orthopedics as glorified carpentry.

 

[nobaddays]

I agree that you may think that way no matter what else you do with your life, but I also think it's naive to think you'll have much of an advantage. I don't say that to be an ass, but think about it; you're far from the first engineer-turned-doctor. Anything you know now that applies to ortho will be taught again before you're cut loose as a practicing orthopedic specialist or surgeon. So it may be easier for you to learn some things, but I wouldn't count on a lot of overlap between mechanical engineering and orthopedics.

 

[petomed]

I agree that you may think that way no matter what else you do with your life, but I also think it's naive to think you'll have much of an advantage. I don't say that to be an ass, but think about it; you're far from the first engineer-turned-doctor. Anything you know now that applies to ortho will be taught again before you're cut loose as a practicing orthopedic specialist or surgeon. So it may be easier for you to learn some things, but I wouldn't count on a lot of overlap between mechanical engineering and orthopedics.

Thanks for the response. That's interesting to hear, I view the muscle/skeletal system as very much mechanical. From how much connective tissue is required to support the amount of load carried through each major muscle region to the bone, to the kinematic requirements of each joint, to the surface wear in that joint over time due to the normal force, etc. I'm shooting from the hip here, as I have no medical education, but this alone sounds like tremendous overlap. There's no doubt practicing orthopedic physicians know what is required of them to be excellent physicians, but I would be surprised to learn they have acquired the same level of experience as a practicing engineer, regarding material mechanics.

I see you are pre-medical as well, nobaddays. We are both on the boat of speculation here.

 

[petomed]

First, get into medical school, then worry about specialty.

Some of my clinical colleagues describe orthopedics as glorified carpentry.

Thanks Goro, I've been on the road for a while now and don't plan on giving up any time soon. Humor me though, it would not be advantageous to be able to look at various joints and parallel the system with past experience in a very different, but fundamentally analogous, field?

 

[Goro]

Thanks Goro, I've been on the road for a while now and don't plan on giving up any time soon. Humor me though, it would not be advantageous to be able to look at various joints and parallel the system with past experience in a very different, but fundamentally analogous, field?

Not really

 

[workaholic181]

Assuming you a) get into a medical school b) do well enough on Step 1 that ortho is even feasible c) match ortho, I could see your current background being an interesting way to think about things or maybe explain stuff to patients. But it's not going to make a,b, or c any easier, and each of those is tremendously difficult.

Medicine is an unbelievably long and grueling road. I'd dispense any expectations as soon as possible and just take it day be day.

 

[stayathomemom]

I think your training in materials science and other fields would give you a leg up (no pun intended) on things like designing orthopedic devices. But I'm premed too, this is blind leading the blind. My significant other is also a ME and I've wondered if we could combine our expertise and create something beneficial for mankind...but that's just a pie-in-the-sky dream at this point and means nothing until I'm actually practicing medicine.

If ortho is your dream, go for it, but you might find yourself in a different field altogether in medicine for which your past engineering training won't matter much.

 

[petomed]

Not really

Good to know. I was under the impression past experiences help to think outside the box. Kind of in the same manner that admissions committees encourage undergraduates to pursue their interests instead of being pre-med cookie cutters--that this would aid them one day as practicing physicians. Knowing this isn't true will be an asset come interview time.

 

[petomed]

I think your training in materials science and other fields would give you a leg up (no pun intended) on things like designing orthopedic devices. But I'm premed too, this is blind leading the blind. My significant other is also a ME and I've wondered if we could combine our expertise and create something beneficial for mankind...but that's just a pie-in-the-sky dream at this point and means nothing until I'm actually practicing medicine.

If ortho is your dream, go for it, but you might find yourself in a different field altogether in medicine for which your past engineering training won't matter much.

Yeah ortho sounds nice, from a stimulating work perspective. But as workaholic mentioned, it is indeed incredibly difficult to match to and very demanding both as a resident and beyond. I just kind of figured my background may mean I have a 'knack' for it. Seems I was quite off.

 

[DocJanItor]

Yeah ortho sounds nice, from a stimulating work perspective. But as workaholic mentioned, it is indeed incredibly difficult to match to and very demanding both as a resident and beyond. I just kind of figured my background may mean I have a 'knack' for it. Seems I was quite off.

Yeah, I'm going to say Goro is wrong about it not being useful. As a former ME, my knowledge of physics, fluids, and thermodynamics have helped me easily grasp concepts that are difficult for non-technical majors. While statics, kinematics, and material design are not part of pre-clinical medical education, you can rest assured that they are a huge part of orthopedic design and implementation. They won't significantly help you in a clinical setting, but they will give you an advantage when discussing or possibly working with medical device companies to come up with new solutions and ideas.

There are many people who do not understand the depth and breadth of engineering education. While medicine is certainly faster paced and requires a significant amount of memorization, engineering is by far harder conceptually. Don't let people discount your abilities.

 

[NicMouse64]

Yeah, I'm going to say Goro is wrong about it not being useful. As a former ME, my knowledge of physics, fluids, and thermodynamics have helped me easily grasp concepts that are difficult for non-technical majors. While statics, kinematics, and material design are not part of pre-clinical medical education, you can rest assured that they are a huge part of orthopedic design and implementation. They won't significantly help you in a clinical setting, but they will give you an advantage when discussing or possibly working with medical device companies to come up with new solutions and ideas.

There are many people who do not understand the depth and breadth of engineering education. While medicine is certainly faster paced and requires a significant amount of memorization, engineering is by far harder conceptually. Don't let people discount your abilities.

Yeah, but all in all most of that S*** is completely useless when it comes to clinical practice. Been there done that. There is a reason that it's not required for medical school. In medical research and beyond I think it's very useful and can help with developing new solutions to problems, but lets be honest here. Statics and Anatomy are two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to learning.

Engineering is harder, medical school is more work and mindless memorization. Being good at engineering I can assure you will not give you any legs up in Medical School.

 

[DocJanItor]

Yeah, but all in all most of that S*** is completely useless when it comes to clinical practice. Been there done that. There is a reason that it's not required for medical school. In medical research and beyond I think it's very useful and can help with developing new solutions to problems, but lets be honest here. Statics and Anatomy are two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to learning.

Engineering is harder, medical school is more work and mindless memorization. Being good at engineering I can assure you will not give you any legs up in Medical School.

I mostly agree with this.

 

[petomed]

Yeah, but all in all most of that S*** is completely useless when it comes to clinical practice. Been there done that. There is a reason that it's not required for medical school. In medical research and beyond I think it's very useful and can help with developing new solutions to problems, but lets be honest here. Statics and Anatomy are two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to learning.

Engineering is harder, medical school is more work and mindless memorization. Being good at engineering I can assure you will not give you any legs up in Medical School.

Statics and things completely unrelated, like pharmacology, hard yes they are mutually exclusive. What about statics and musculoskeletal physiology?

 

[NicMouse64]

Statics and things completely unrelated, like pharmacology, hard yes they are mutually exclusive. What about statics and musculoskeletal physiology?

Again, maybe tangentially related and used to form the basis for clinical practice but is not needed in your thought process.

 

[NicMouse64]

Statics and things completely unrelated, like pharmacology, hard yes they are mutually exclusive. What about statics and musculoskeletal physiology?

engineering will do you a service in pharmacology actually. It's a lot of interpreting graphs and tables, which you get good at through thermo, mass balance, etc.

 

[krispyyo]

Ortho resident here. There are a few of my co-residents who were former engineers. I know my program director looks favorably on applicants with an engineering background. It will definitely help you learn and understand the principles of biomechanics, internal and external fixation, arthroplasty, and material properties related to orthopedic surgery. However, just know that there's a lot more to orthopedics as far as anatomy, pathophysiology, and of course the hands on skills (which can be surprisingly difficult to learn when it comes to some types of procedures such as arthroscopy or even certain fracture reductions). An engineering background won't necessarily help with those other aspects of the specialty.