Orthopedic surgeons
fix issues with bones and other parts of the musculoskeletal system.
Orthopedic surgeons specialize in treating problems with your musculoskeletal system. Not only do they set broken bones and immobilize them to facilitate proper healing, but they repair torn ligaments and tendons, help alleviate issues associated with arthritis and work with oncologists to treat bone cancer. Working as an orthopedic surgeon takes up to 13 years of post-secondary education. Orthopedic surgeons in California can expect an average salary well above the national average.
Education
Orthopedic surgeons can expect to be in school for a minimum of 13 years after high school to get the necessary education and training. First, you will need to complete four years of college, then an additional four years of medical school. Orthopedic residency programs last five years, and some go on for an additional year of specialized training. When studying orthopedic surgery, you can specialize in a specific area of the body (like the spine, shoulders, or knees), pediatric orthopedics, orthopedic oncology, or sports medicine. The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS.org) has a complete list of board-certified specialties. To practice medicine in California, you will also be required to pass California's licensing exam.
Salary and Compensation
As of March 2011, Salary.com reports that the national average salary for an orthopedic surgeon is $409,405. Salaries for orthopedic surgeons in California were above the national average. For the same reporting period, salaries averaged $455,918 in Los Angeles, $498,156 in San Francisco, $439,869 in Sacramento and $445,417 in San Diego.
Job Experience
Your experience level will also impact your compensation. Salary.com estimates that an orthopedic surgeon in Los Angeles with 10 to 14 years' experience can expect to earn as much as $597,561. In San Diego, 10 to 14 years' experience can help a surgeon earn as much as $583,797. San Francisco surgeons with the same experience level earn as much as $652,922.
Where You Work
The difference in compensation for those who work for a non-profit organization, in education or for the government instead of a for-profit entity is noticeable. Salary.com estimates the salary range for an orthopedic surgeon with 10 to 14 years' experience working for a non-profit company with 500 to 1,000 employees to be somewhere between $416,470 and $545,857. The same surgeon working for a for-profit company has a projected salary range between $440,224 and $576,990.
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