Perhaps you’ve been told you should have an evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon. You may wonder what kind of training, education, and experience a board certified orthopedic surgeon has. In this video, Dr. Bennett discusses the education and training that goes into becoming a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon.
Dr. J. Michael Bennett is a Houston and Sugar Land Orthopedic Surgeon who’s Board Certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Fellowship Trained in Sports Medicine. In this article, Dr. J. Michael Bennett talks about the training and education requirements for becoming a board certified orthopedic surgeon. Doctor Bennett specializes in treating issues of the shoulders, elbows, and knees. You can make an appointment with Dr. Bennett by calling his Sugar Land office at 281-633-8600 or his Houston office at 713-234-3152 or you can make an appointment online by clicking the Book an Appointment button.
Dr. J. Michael Bennett is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Fellowship Trained Sports Medicine Doctor. We accept Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare and most other medical insurance plans.
Doctor Bennett works with his patients to identify non-invasive and non-surgical treatments, whenever possible. He specializes in all aspects of sports medicine and in treating chronic conditions and acute injuries affecting the elbow, shoulder, knee, and hand.
I’m Dr. J. Michael Bennett. I’m here to discuss today exactly what an orthopedic surgeon does and exactly what the steps are to becoming a board certified orthopedic surgeon. I think this is very important for anyone that’s looking for an orthopedic surgeon or any specialist; that you educate yourself in their background, their board specialization or whether or not they’re board certified, and what their sub-specialty is as well.
After medical school, an orthopedic surgeon goes to residency for a total of five years. That’s five years of concentrated practice and learning within the field of orthopedic surgery usually involving spending time at the local trauma hospitals as well as some of the teaching institutions. During that time period we’re also expected to be involved in research as well as becoming very comfortable in presenting and performing orthopedic procedures.
Now after an orthopedic surgeon graduates from residency, they have the option of opening up an orthopedic practice and practicing general orthopedic surgery. That involves everything from broken knees to broken shoulders to broken hips to broken elbows.
After a year or so of being in practice, everybody that’s practicing orthopedic surgery sits down and takes an oral board and that’s actually after you take a written board so that’s two more tests that have to be taken within the realm of orthopedic surgery that allows you to become board certified. So board certification is actually a process that the orthopedic community has put upon itself to make sure those orthopedic surgeons are following the standard of care.
I think it is key that you make sure that the orthopedic surgeon you are seeing is board certified. Board eligible means that they can take the test but they choose not to take it or they’re not able to take it yet. So you have every right to ask the surgeon if they’re a board certified orthopedic surgeon or board eligible before you make your appointment. And they should have it on their website as well.
Now if you are a general orthopedist, you do a little bit of everything. If you want to sub-specialize in orthopedic surgery, that means that you would do an extra year of specific focused learning and practicing within a certain area of orthopedic surgery. So in sub-specialty training, in fellowship training, you have the option of doing this in the hand, shoulder and elbow, sports medicine, spine, and total joints. That would require you to do one extra year of focused teaching and learning and practicing in that discipline that you choose.
So as always, do your due diligence in picking your surgeon, discuss your surgical options and never, ever hesitate in asking for a second opinion. If you have any questions in regards to any of these issues, please feel free to contact my office. Thank you.
If you have questions and would like an appointment with Dr. Bennett, please call our Sugar Land office at 281-633-8600 or our Houston Galleria office at 713-234-3152. You can also make an appointment by clicking the “Book an Appointment” button.
