Orthopedic Surgeon

U.S. Army Orthopedic Surgeon protect the foundation of the Army by treating the foundation of Soldiers’ musculoskeletal systems

If you are a professional in the field of Orthopedics and want to combine your specialized skills with a desire to serve your country, a career as an Army Orthopedic Surgeon might be the one for you.

From groundbreaking bionic prosthetics to regenerative bone and tissue research, the U.S. Army Medical Department is pioneering work that is changing medicine while improving the success rate of orthopedic surgery. As a U.S. Army Orthopedic Surgeon, you may conduct both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat Soldiers and their family members with injuries and conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Through your skills in diagnostic care, you will determine the best course of treatment when examining patients with disorders, malformations, disease or injury to their musculoskeletal system.

You can utilize state-of-the-art equipment, continued education courses, seminars, and trainings to advance yourself as a medical professional, and conduct research for the development of your field. And, if you choose to serve in the Army Reserve, you can continue your work in your community and serve when called upon.

Whether you choose Active duty or Army Reserve, a career as an Army Orthopedic Surgeon allows you to serve the Army community in critical ways.

When you join the Army Medical Corps, you’ll be making a difference in the lives of our Soldiers and the country at large while gaining access to invaluable opportunities, like supporting humanitarian missions, leadership training and a competitive benefit package.

Benefits may include:

• Repayment of qualified education loans to lending institution, paid annually over a maximum of three years while serving
• Based on your field of concentration, you may be eligible for an accession bonus, paid over a four-year period while serving
• Travel opportunities, to include humanitarian missions
• Up to 30 days of paid vacation earned annually
• Enrollment in a military retirement system that blends the traditional legacy retirement pension with a defined contribution to service members’ Thrift Savings Plan account
• No- to low-cost medical and dental care for you and your family
• Commissary and post exchange shopping privileges
• Specialized training to become a leader in medicine

• Must have a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree from an accredited U.S. school of medicine or osteopathy
• Foreign graduates may apply if they have a permanent certificate from the Educational Council of Foreign Medical Graduates
• Must have a current license to practice medicine in the United States, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico
• Between the age of 21 and 42 years of age (waivers granted on a case-by-case basis)
• Must be eligible for board certification
• Must have completed at least one year of an approved Graduate Medical Education (GME) internship
• Must be a U.S. citizen to serve Active Duty
• Must have a permanent U.S. residency for Army Reserve

To find out more information about becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon in the U.S. Army, visit  You may also reach out to your local Army Healthcare Recruiter to learn how you can get started on your journey as an Army Orthopedic Surgeon.