Career Support
Being a Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) surgeon is an extremely rewarding career. There are few areas in medicine where you have the opportunity to transform people’s lives, whether you are putting them back together after severe trauma, or you are giving someone back their independence by relieving the pain from an arthritic joint. A career in T&O combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, but also involves an interface with technology, industry and a multidisciplinary team unmatched by any other specialty.
Careers Overview
Trauma and Orthopaedics covers musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, offering rewarding careers with diverse subspecialties, research opportunities, advancing surgical technologies, and clear progression into consultant, specialty, academic, and non-training clinical roles.
Medical School Students
Life as an orthopaedic surgeon is a rewarding career that we at the British Orthopaedic Association would highly recommend! As a medical school student, the information in this section will provide you with some helpful tips and tools in your journey as members of the T&O community.
Trainees
This page is aimed at doctors in training who are pursuing a career in T&O. This includes those in their foundation years, as well as those who are engaged in a training programme, either at core level, or at specialty level.
Surgeons
For surgeons who have left surgical training but remain in surgical practice, there may be a number of professional issues to consider, whether it be career development, revalidation, improving surgical outcomes, supporting trainees, working less than full time, returning to work or approaching retirement.
National Clinical Impact Awards (NCIA) 2026
The 2026 round of National Clinical Impact Awards (NCIA) will open 1st April and close at 5pm on 20th May 2026.
Parenthood and Orthopaedics
The BOA has launched resources to support parenthood in trauma and orthopaedics. Combining parenthood and a surgical career can be challenging, but pregnancy, adoption or parental leave should not be a barrier or an influencing factor on pursuing your chosen surgical career.
Wellbeing and Support
We recognise that caring for others starts with caring for you. T&O practice is hugely rewarding — but it can also be demanding, both professionally and personally. Whether you’re in training, established in practice, or working across the wider orthopaedic team, how you feel and function every day matters to your performance, your relationships and the quality of care you deliver to your patients.