Normal Work Day and Week
Most surgeons work in hospitals or clinics. Surgery can be very intense and stressful. Surgeons need to be able to handle gruesome sights and smells, they also have to be able to fix any problems quickly. Surgeons also have to be able to work long and irregular hours since some surgeries can take an entire day without many breaks and afterwards, the surgeon has to stay on call in case something happens to the patient. Most surgeons work about 60 hours a week, some work even more when they are doing their residency. The more experienced surgeons or those who have their own practice may have a more normal 40-50 hours a week. They get paid very well, but it is still lots of hard and sometimes unpleasant work.
Common orthopedic surgeries include joint replacements, putting rods and pins in fractured bones, and arthroscopies. Most orthopedic surgeons only do surgery on certain days, maybe three days a week, and examine patients on other days. If the hospital or clinic does not have many orthopedic surgeons, you may not have the luxury of choosing when you do surgery. If there are not any patients, sometimes doctors are asked to consult on other cases. It is also important for surgeons to research in their free time so they are up to date with new information.
Common orthopedic surgeries include joint replacements, putting rods and pins in fractured bones, and arthroscopies. Most orthopedic surgeons only do surgery on certain days, maybe three days a week, and examine patients on other days. If the hospital or clinic does not have many orthopedic surgeons, you may not have the luxury of choosing when you do surgery. If there are not any patients, sometimes doctors are asked to consult on other cases. It is also important for surgeons to research in their free time so they are up to date with new information.