Careers

Career Description

Airmen put enormous demands on their body while training and serving. That's why the men and women of the Air Force rely on highly skilled Orthopedic Surgeons to examine, diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of their musculoskeletal system. In the Air Force, you'll work in state-of-the-art facilities with highly trained nurses and staff. And since you won't have to contend with the bureaucracy of insurance companies or manage a practice, you'll spend more of your time using the skills you worked so hard to acquire.

Career Tasks

• Examine, diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system by surgical and conservative means while also managing orthopedic surgery services
• Review case histories and data, examine patients, interpret test results and evaluate examination findings
• Schedule operations; assign surgeons, nurses and medical technicians; direct nurses; and advise on kind and quantity of orthopedic supplies and equipment
• Manage orthopedic surgery services and formulate plans and procedures for orthopedic surgery services
• Instruct interns and residents and serve as a consultant on orthopedic issues

Relevant Interests & Skills

You might like this career if you have interests in these areas:

• Health and Medicine
• Natural Science
• Business Operations and Administration

Becoming a Direct Commission Officer

To ease your transition into the Air Force, you'll enter a five-week training regimen designed to educate you on the ways of both the military and military healthcare. You'll participate in physical conditioning five days a week, leadership training and classroom studies.