What is a fellowship-trained surgeon?

A fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon is a doctor who has completed a minimum of 13 years of education and has completed an additional year of specialty training in a specific field of orthopaedic surgery in an accredited fellowship program. There are fellowships in several areas of orthopaedics: foot and ankle; hand and wrist; and back, neck and spine. Additionally, orthopaedic surgeons may focus on a specific field of orthopaedics, such as pediatrics, sports medicine, or trauma.