What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric in the U.S. earn more than $358,550 a year — the middle 80% land between $84,170 and $659,290. About 14,100 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$358,550typical pay / year
14,100people in this work
$659,290+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing2
Treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system
+Evaluate the patient with degenerative knee pain, review imaging and comorbidities, propose arthroscopic…
Treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system
+Evaluate the patient with degenerative knee pain, review imaging and comorbidities, propose arthroscopic debridement or joint replacement as indicated, discuss risks and rehab plan with the patient and schedule surgery if they consent.
The tools that do the workThree-dimensional 3D virtual surgeryjob descriptionsO*NET
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Analyze patient's medical history and examination results
+Review Maria Gonzales's medical history, the recent abdominal exam notes, and the latest bloodwork and CT…
Analyze patient's medical history and examination results
+Review Maria Gonzales's medical history, the recent abdominal exam notes, and the latest bloodwork and CT report; list likely surgical diagnoses, urgent red flags, and three immediate pre-op checks to confirm before consenting her for appendectomy tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRjob descriptionsO*NET
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Make1
Develop and test surgical techniques
+Run simulations of the new right hepatic pedicle dissection technique on the porcine model, record operative…
Develop and test surgical techniques
+Run simulations of the new right hepatic pedicle dissection technique on the porcine model, record operative steps, complications and time to perfusion, then produce a one-page checklist and three measurable metrics to judge safety before first patient use.
The tools that do the workThree-dimensional 3D virtual surgeryjob descriptionsO*NET
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Coordinate1
Coordinate activities of medical staff
+Create a staffing and task plan for Friday’s OR list with anesthesia, scrub techs and two residents; assign…
Coordinate activities of medical staff
+Create a staffing and task plan for Friday’s OR list with anesthesia, scrub techs and two residents; assign cases, highlight overlapping instrument needs, note when I need to scrub in, and flag any training opportunities for the junior resident.
The tools that do the workPractice management software PMSHuman resources management system HRMSjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work20
Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.
+Inspect every instrument tray, suction and cautery unit, and the operating room surfaces for breaches in…
Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.
+Inspect every instrument tray, suction and cautery unit, and the operating room surfaces for breaches in sterility, replace any compromised packs, verify sterile indicators are valid, and notify the charge nurse before patient entry.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRO*NET
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Prepare case histories.
+Pull prior notes, imaging reports, and the anaesthesia record for Mrs. Alvarez, summarise relevant…
Prepare case histories.
+Pull prior notes, imaging reports, and the anaesthesia record for Mrs. Alvarez, summarise relevant comorbidities and prior procedures into a concise operative case history, and flag any missing consent or allergy documentation before the morning list.
The tools that do the workEpicO*NET
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Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioners when necessary.
+If intraoperative findings exceed my scope, arrange an urgent referral for Mr. Patel to Dr. Singh in vascular…
Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioners when necessary.
+If intraoperative findings exceed my scope, arrange an urgent referral for Mr. Patel to Dr. Singh in vascular surgery with the operative note, current anticoagulation status, and recommended timeframe for review within 24 hours.
The tools that do the workPractice management software PMSO*NET
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Maintain trees
+Inspect the hospital grounds' specimen trees, prune dead limbs, remove stumps that obstruct access paths, and…
Maintain trees
+Inspect the hospital grounds' specimen trees, prune dead limbs, remove stumps that obstruct access paths, and schedule quarterly maintenance to prevent root damage near the pathology building's foundations.
The tools that do the workHuman resources management system HRMSESCO
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Operate chainsaw
+Walk the planned worksite, note overhead lines, unstable branches, and ground slope, document hazards with…
Operate chainsaw
+Walk the planned worksite, note overhead lines, unstable branches, and ground slope, document hazards with photos and a mitigation plan, and brief the crew before starting tree work adjacent to the patient drop-off.
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Assess hazards implied in tree operations
+Start the chainsaw only after the exclusion zone is set, wear full protective kit, use a two-person plan for…
Assess hazards implied in tree operations
+Start the chainsaw only after the exclusion zone is set, wear full protective kit, use a two-person plan for felling, maintain clear communication with the ground crew, and log the work and any incidents when finished.
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Lop trees
+Clear the patient reception area lawn of the two leaning poplars on the east boundary: assess root…
Lop trees
+Clear the patient reception area lawn of the two leaning poplars on the east boundary: assess root instability, cordon the sidewalk, fell the smaller tree toward the vacant lot, limb and remove debris, and leave the larger trunk intact for later review by facilities today.
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Tree preservation and conservation
+Inspect the courtyard maples that border the operating wing and produce a conservation plan: record canopy…
Tree preservation and conservation
+Inspect the courtyard maples that border the operating wing and produce a conservation plan: record canopy gaps, prune only deadwood, apply bark treatment for visible canker on the north tree, stake rootballs where heave is evident, and schedule follow-up in six weeks.
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Climb trees
+Access the hospital grounds list, rig for ascent the tall oak beside the staff parking, inspect mid-canopy…
Climb trees
+Access the hospital grounds list, rig for ascent the tall oak beside the staff parking, inspect mid-canopy limbs for rot, clip suspect branches while roped in, photograph weak unions, and descend with samples for pathology lab before end of shift.
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Use heavy machinery to prune and cut trees
+Prune the overhanging branches that threaten the delivery drive: establish two ground marshals and an…
Use heavy machinery to prune and cut trees
+Prune the overhanging branches that threaten the delivery drive: establish two ground marshals and an exclusion zone, lift the cutter to twenty feet, trim limbs to restore a fourteen-foot driving envelope, chip debris to the compost area, and file an incident note after work.
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Perform tree thinning
+Thin the overstanding oak group at 14 Maple Street this morning: remove suppressed codominant stems, take…
Perform tree thinning
+Thin the overstanding oak group at 14 Maple Street this morning: remove suppressed codominant stems, take selected scaffold limbs to reduce sail area by 20 percent, leave smooth pruning wounds, and haul cut material to the driveway pile for chipper pickup at 2 p.m.
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Protect trees
+Protect the heritage magnolia at the hospital entrance by installing trunk guards, lay mulch to the dripline…
Protect trees
+Protect the heritage magnolia at the hospital entrance by installing trunk guards, lay mulch to the dripline without piling against the bark, prune only deadwood and low-risk branches this week, and document the measures for the grounds team before weekend rounds.
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Execute disease and pest control activities
+Treat the crabapple avenue for fungal and borer infestations: map symptomatic trees, apply targeted fungicide…
Execute disease and pest control activities
+Treat the crabapple avenue for fungal and borer infestations: map symptomatic trees, apply targeted fungicide to lower canopy and systemic insecticide to trunks on Tuesday after lab confirmation, and post treatment notices for staff and patients.
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Carry out aerial tree rigging
+Execute aerial rigging on the sycamore behind the east wing: rig major sections to lower with a three-point…
Carry out aerial tree rigging
+Execute aerial rigging on the sycamore behind the east wing: rig major sections to lower with a three-point haul, tag load limits with the crew, cut limbs in liftsets only when the ground team confirms clear drop zones, and lower each piece to the landing pad.
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Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Follow safety procedures while working at heights on the south courtyard elms: wear full fall-arrest harness,…
Follow safety procedures when working at heights
+Follow safety procedures while working at heights on the south courtyard elms: wear full fall-arrest harness, secure tool lanyards, confirm anchor points and rescue plan with the safety officer before ascent, and log the inspection and start time on the job sheet.
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Advise on tree issues
+Advise Facilities on the street-tree program: evaluate damage reports from Friday, prioritize five high-risk…
Advise on tree issues
+Advise Facilities on the street-tree program: evaluate damage reports from Friday, prioritize five high-risk specimens for immediate action, recommend replacement species tolerant of salt and shade, and send the recommendation to Erin in Procurement by Tuesday.
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Human resources
+Schedule Dr. Alvarez's annual privileging review, attach the signed procedure log and conflict declarations,…
Human resources
+Schedule Dr. Alvarez's annual privileging review, attach the signed procedure log and conflict declarations, and update human resources with the completed privileging packet by next Friday so credentialing can proceed.
The tools that do the workHuman resources management system HRMSO*NET
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Image guided surgery
+Create the navigation checklist and annotate the fiducial registration for Mr. Patel's liver resection, then…
Image guided surgery
+Create the navigation checklist and annotate the fiducial registration for Mr. Patel's liver resection, then save the image guided surgery note into the operative documentation and flag it for peer review today.
The tools that do the workImage-guided surgeryO*NET
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Medical laser control
+Log the diode output, spot size, and number of pulses from Mr. Rivera's thyroid laser excision and submit the…
Medical laser control
+Log the diode output, spot size, and number of pulses from Mr. Rivera's thyroid laser excision and submit the medical laser control record to perioperative services with the consent form attached by 5pm.
The tools that do the workMedical laser controlO*NET
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Robotic surgery
+Schedule the robotic surgery case log entry for John Morales, left hemicolectomy on July 29, record…
Robotic surgery
+Schedule the robotic surgery case log entry for John Morales, left hemicolectomy on July 29, record instrument failures and console time, attach intraoperative photos, and notify anesthesia and billing once the robotic surgery entry is complete.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRImage-guided surgeryO*NET
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses