2 physicians on mistakes young orthopedic surgeons should avoid

Orthopedic

Looking back at their careers, many orthopedic surgeons can point to mistakes they wish they avoided when they first started in the field.

Two surgeons told Becker's Spine Review their advice for young orthopedists.

Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting orthopedic care. We invite all orthopedic surgeon and specialist responses.

Next week's question: How will patient-specific orthopedic implants evolve in the next decade?

Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Note: Responses were edited for style.

Question: What’s the biggest mistake early-career orthopedic surgeons should avoid?

Ronald Hillock, MD. Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center (Las Vegas): Most of my peers did not stay with the first position they took out of their residency or fellowship. I was certain I had made the correct choice. I was a salaried academic surgeon. I over-extended to buy "the house.' Eighteen months later, I was left with a practice that I did not like and too much debt based on that choice. I had to move, take massive losses on the investment into the house and start over in a new community hundreds of miles away. I was wrong about almost every business decision in my first position out of training. It took seven to eight years to overcome that bad choice. 

My advice is to proceed with caution. Enter the new practice setting with an exit strategy if it is not what you thought it would become. Read the contract with a lawyer and understand the noncompete clause and such before signing any deal.

Jason Snibbe, MD. Snibbe Orthopedics (Los Angeles): The biggest mistake is trying to restrict your practice. Surgeons should see any patient that needs help. Orthopedic surgeons should see all types of orthopedic problems and refer them out for treatments that you don't do. This builds a strong practice and develops strong relationships with physical therapists, pain management doctors and spine surgeons. Seeing more patients will build a strong following. 

The other mistake is not educating yourself on the business of medicine. You should spend time on the weekends or after hours learning about overhead, insurance reimbursement, employee management and practice management. Surgeons should also learn about taxes and the benefits of having a corporation.

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