Missionary Orthopod in the Making

So here at LLU every Tuesday the orthopedics dept. has a basic science meeting where they go over different topics. Tonight they went over spine surgery and the different procedures you can do to correct kyphosis (think humpback of Notre Dame) and lordosis. The procedure entailed cutting wedges out of the spine and putting screws through the pedicles. As I was listening to all of it I nodded my head but I really didn’t understand what the attending was saying. Then he told us that there were 4 big rigs parked outside with full operating rooms ready for us to put what we learned into practice. It was crazy!!! Inside these big rigs were a bunch of operating tables complete with overhead lights, bovies, and a fresh (almost too fresh) body with its spine exposed. The residents were really nice and I got to place some thoracic screws while the residents worked on the lumbar spine. Making the correct path for the screw was technically challenging; if you went too medially then you were going directly into the spinal cord. If you went too lateral then you would be outside of the bone. It was nice that if I messed up I could unscrew it and try again but it was crazy to think that in a real case you only get to make the path for the screw once, and you better hope you don’t paralyze the patient! This experience further solidified orthopedics for me…the procedures are just so cool. And honestly, I think that at the end of the day that is what needs to be important for a surgeon because the types of procedures I do will be an important part of my practice. I want to wake up every morning excited to do this cool procedure and excited to teach other residents how to do these procedures. The hardest part is just matching into ortho…

But just as I saw the hand of God working to my wife and I into the same medical school, I know he will work miracles to get us into or respective residencies together. I just need to have faith.