Orthopaedics

Section 1: Information about the writer

Ahmed Hassanein Mohamed

Orthopaedics CF, Salford Royal Hospital

Elmunzar Bajouri

Orthopaedics Registrar, Yorkshire and Humber

Section 2: Scope of practice in the UK:

There are millions of reasons to choose orthopaedics, it’s a speciality that combines research and brainstorming biomechanics with practical procedures and hand craft. There is great demand for orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom and Gulf countries; Furthermore, in a population of more than 30 millions in Sudan there is less than 500  registered orthopaedic surgeons and many of them lack adequate experience in elective sub-specialities.

Orthopaedics is a demanding speciality both physically and mentally and it is competitive to get into a training position, also in UK there are many options (such as GP, pathology and infectious diseases) which are different-or not available-in Sudan, can be easier to get to and offer an excellent life work balance; I advice everybody to be as open minded as possible and try to explore and enquire about other specialities before committing to the long orthopaedic journey.  

Once you make your mind then start with making your plan, speak to people and work hard and you will get there. Progression into higher specialist training in T&O requires trainees to complete Core Training in surgery, now with orthopaedics stream (Preferred).

Then the Trainee should demonstrate their clinical competencies at a properly convened ARCP or equivalent.

These include:

• Trauma resuscitation
• Approach to multiple injury
• Approach to back pain
• Thromboprophylaxis in T & O
• Approach to the painful joint
• Assessment of the injured joint(knee/shoulder/wrist/hand/ankle)
• Management of open fracture
• Management of painful joint
• Management of painful back
• Cast for wrist fracture / below knee for ankle injury
• Removal of K wire
• Debridement traumatic/infected wound
• Closed reduction +/- k-wiring of a wrist fracture
• Reducing a trochanteric fracture on traction table
• Approach for application of a DHS.
• Approach to distal fibula for fracture.
• Application of a plate to distal fibula
• Application of DHS for inter-trochanteric fracture
• Simple fractures and dislocations
• Soft tissue injuries
• Ankle fractures
• Proximal femoral fractures in the elderly

The job duty depends on the level (check trauma and orthopaedics curriculum, last page)

Speciality training started at ST3 level. Then in general:

• Each rotation has a designated Training Programme Director
• 1^st  3-4 years general orthopaedics trauma
• The FRCS is taken during years 5 or 6 of the programme
• Years 6 and 7 of the programme: sub-speciality and electives
• CCT is awarded in year 7