Orthopaedic surgeon

Dr Mark Myerson
Wetumwene Shikage
"My job as an orthopaedic surgeon is extremely varied. We work on the entire musculoskeletal system, meaning bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Within orthopaedics, one is able to specialise and find a focus in a particular area, for example, sports medicine, trauma, foot and ankle, arthritis, the upper extremity and the spine.

On a daily basis, I examine patients with injuries and deformities and recommend various treatments, some of which are surgical, while others require physiotherapy and exercise to recover.

Anyone who wants to think about a future as an orthopaedic surgeon must first think about medicine as a career, which absolutely mandates that one have empathy, a desire to help people, and a passion for this chosen path. It is very difficult to anticipate as a student what aspect of medicine one is ultimately suited to, and indeed, we have a saying that the specialty will choose you rather than you choosing the specialty.

As an orthopaedic surgeon, I love working with my hands and fixing things, and if something is crooked, I instinctively want to straighten it, which made my decision to enter orthopaedics a lot easier. I have practised as an orthopaedic surgeon for 40 years and still embrace each day with passion and anticipation. I have been very blessed with my career choice.

After a long career, I left hospital practise to start a global humanitarian organisation, Steps2Walk, which has been extraordinarily gratifying and fulfilling. We work globally, providing treatment for children with disabling foot and ankle deformities in underserved regions of the world. Education and humanitarian service remain my priorities."