What is a fellowship-trained surgeon?

A fellowship-trained orthopedic 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 orthopedic surgery in an accredited fellowship program. There are fellowships in several areas of orthopedics: foot and ankle; hand and wrist; and back, neck and spine. Additionally, orthopedic surgeons may focus on a specific field of orthopedics, such as pediatrics, sports medicine, or trauma.