How do I become an orthopaedic surgeon?

In France, to become an orthopedist, you have to follow a long and demanding medical curriculum. This course trains students to master surgical techniques and acquire the human skills essential to the practice of the profession. This is what we describe in our fiche métier orthopédiste. Since it's not always easy to find your way around the various stages of this course, here's a complete guide to better understand the studies to follow.

What is an orthopedist?

An orthopedist is a specialist in the diagnosis, treatment and surgery of musculoskeletal pathologies (bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments). He can work in hospitals, clinics and private practices. He treats a wide variety of conditions, from acute traumas (fractures, dislocations) to chronic pathologies (osteoarthritis, scoliosis), with great technical rigor.

How to become an orthopedist

Études générales de médecine

Prior to entering higher education, the aspiring orthopot;distemust obtain a scientific baccalaureate. Once this has been completed, students wishing to pursue health studies can choose between two options:

• Le Parcours Accès Santé Spécifique (PASS)

• Introduced in 2020 to replace the former Premiée Année Commune aux Études de Santé (PACES), the PASS is a year of study combining a health major; é a minor from another discipline. This structure makes it possible to diversify skills and offer avenues for reorientation.
• Students are assessed on the basis of continuous assessment and final exams.
• Those who succeed can enter the health sector.
• Those who fail can reorient themselves towards their minor's field of study before, if they wish, trying their luck again.
• The PASS approach relieves the pressure associated with the former PACES competitive entrance exam, while diversifying the student's skills.

• La Licence avec Accès Santé (L.AS)

• Introduced in 2020 in order to diversify the training offer in health studies, the L.AS is a program combining any major (law, humanities, economics, etc.) with a specific health minor (biology, physiology, etc.).
• At the end of the first, second or third year, and if they have passed the minimum requirements, students can apply for health studies. They then sit specific examinations. Depending on their performance, they may be rejected or admitted to the second year of medical school.
• The L.AS enables students to follow a diversified pathway, promoting skills and orientations.
  
  

After the PASS or L.AS (see above), general medical studies are divided into two diploma sections: 

• Le Diplôme de Formation Générale en Sciences Médicales (DFGSM) : three-year curriculum (the PASS and L.AS count as the first) consisting of theoretical courses in medical sciences and clinical internships in hospitals.
• Le Diplôme de Formation Approfondie en Sciences Médicales (DFASM) : A direct continuation of the DFGSM, this is a three-year course of study that includes specialized courses and advanced internships in various hospital departments.

Éend-of-clerkship proofs 

During the final year of the second cycle, students must pass a battery of tests which, depending on their results and rankings, will enable them to formulate vœux de spécialit; mais également de ville. Here's the list: 

• Épreuves dématérialisées nationales (EDN): these take place in October and count for 60% of the final grade. In order to pass, students must obtain a mark of 14/20 or higher in the thematic knowledge required by all doctors, regardless of their specialty.
• Examens cliniques objectifs et structurés (ECOS): these are organized in May and count for 30% of the final grade. They test students' ability to develop clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills. The minimum mark must be 10/20.
• Academic progress grade: this continuous assessment takes into account the student's commitment, curriculum, mobility and level of English, and accounts for 10% of the final grade.

Spécialisation en orthopédie

Once the études générales de médecine completed, the student specializing in orthopedics enters a five-year internship. This course is divided into theoretical and practical training:

• Training théoric : interns follow théoric courses covering the various aspects of orthopédie. They attend seminars and conferences to keep abreast of the latest advances and research in the field.
• Training practical : orthopedic interns participate in the activities of various healthcare departments.

In addition, the orthopedic intern must write and defend a thesis in order to obtain a doctorate. Upon completion of this specialization, the intern obtains the Diplôme d'Etudes Spécialis;es en Orthopédie (DES). 

Complementary training

Once the DES has been obtained, the orthopedist diplômémay pursue further training through university or inter-university diplomas, or international training courses at centers of référence. These courses enable advanced training in highly specialized fields, such as spinal surgery, hand surgery, complex prosthetics and sports traumatology (to name but a few). This advanced training paves the way for better orthopedic job opportunities, both medically and financially, and fosters greater professional recognition, particularly in private clinics or referral centers.

Débouchés and careers

The débouchés for an orthopédiste are numerous and diversified. These specialists can work in the public sector, as hospital or university practitioners, or in the private sector, in clinics or group practices. Some choose to become department heads, while others engage in research or medical training, in France or abroad. To find your way around, we advise you to call on the services of a recruteur médical confirmed medical recruiterconfirmed medical recruiterconfirmed medical recruiter. The business, both technical and human, offers a rich, recognized and constantly evolving career thanks to technological and scientific advances (see our article artificial intelligence in healthcare: impacts and prospects). With a well-organized activity, the orthoptist can also aspire to a satisfying life balance, while continuing to train throughout her career.