If you’re thinking about becoming a doctor and the skeletal system has always been something that fascinates you, have you ever thought about becoming an orthopedic hand surgeon? Not only is it a respected position in the medical field but it’s also one that provides you with plenty of room for networking and career advancement, the insurance benefits are great and the salary is quite lucrative.

It is important to keep in mind that in order to do well in this field, there is a lot of education and training that is required. So, if this is something that you are strongly considering, we have enclosed five tips on how to become an orthopedic hand surgeon below:

Get your undergraduate degree. The first thing that you’re going to need to do is graduate from college. Although some people assume that they should be pre-med, the reality is that a lot of medical schools are far more interested in you showing that you have a wide range of interests. Your major is up to you, but do make sure that you take plenty of science courses (perhaps make science your minor). Traditionally, this process takes four years.

Go to medical school. After you’ve graduated with your undergraduate degree, it’s then time to take the MCAT (medical admissions test) and apply to medical school. While you’re in school, it’s important to keep in mind that you need to either graduate as an M.D. or an O.D. (someone who specializes in orthopedic medicine). Also remember that in order to graduate, you will need to take (and pass) your national board exams. This also will take four years.

Complete a residency. The next thing that you’ll have to do is complete a residency. This is the time when you’ll get some hands-on experience as it directly relates to the various fundamentals of orthopedic surgery. During your first year, you’ll be doing what is known as an internship. From there, you’ll spend four years doing rotations at various hospitals. This will require a five-year commitment.

Do a fellowship. After you’ve done your residency, the good news is that you’re almost at the end of the education steps that you need in order to practice as an orthopedic hand surgeon. Now you need to devote a year towards a fellowship. What this will do is help to further prepare you for your specialty as a hand surgeon. So say for instance that you live in Milwaukee. Well one thing that you can do is look into getting a fellowship with one of the hand surgeons Milwaukee. After you have done a year of that, you’ll finally be ready for the final step.

Find a job. It really is kind of amazing to think about but yes, after 14 years of education, you will finally be ready to work as an orthopedic surgeon. While some doctors choose to apply for jobs where they did their residencies or fellowships, others literally go on job search engines like Career Builder and even Craigslist to see what positions in their field are available. Our recommendation is to do both. And with the kind of expertise that you have, you should be able to land a fulfilling job very soon. Good luck!