How to become an Orthopaedic Surgeon

Performs surgery to treat muscular and skeletal diseases and injuries.

Main tasks

• Consults with patients to diagnose orthopaedic conditions and determines the need for surgical intervention
• Performs surgical procedures to treat musculoskeletal diseases and injuries
• Orders and interprets diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning for muscular and skeletal diseases
• Prescribes treatments and medications following diagnosis of orthopaedic diseases or injuries

Ways in

• University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $203,060 a year
• About 10,500 people work in this job group now, and about 13,900 are projected by 2035. (+33.1%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Cardiothoracic Surgeon
• Neurosurgeon
• General Surgeon
• Otolaryngologist
• Paediatric Surgeon
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Orthopaedic Surgeon?

Ways in include: Medicine & Dentistry degrees.

How much does an Orthopaedic Surgeon earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $203,060 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is an Orthopaedic Surgeon a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 33% by 2035, from about 10,500 to about 13,900 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become an Orthopaedic Surgeon?

Usually. 97% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Orthopaedic Surgeon?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04