Congratulations, you made it to the last step! Now that you have completed your medical degree and your residency, it is time to complete your board certifications and your state license. You must select from 1 of 24 board specialties which will allow you to practice medicine in numerous specialties. (anesthesiology, dermatology, orthopedic, etc). You might have to take both a written and an oral exam or simply a written exam. State licenses are generally obtained after the completion of your board exam. If you move from one state to another, the specific requirements that each state has differs and can take a doctor time to obtain the new license. With your board certification and state license, you can officially begin to practice medicine.. After 10 years of post undergrad, you are ready to operate on patients and change lives! I hope this six step guide simplified the career path of an orthopedic surgeon and hopefully motivated you guys to pursue a profession in the medical field-it does not have to be an orthopedic surgeon. Find what you love and chase it till the end!