Meet Dr. George Ozoude

What made you go into medicine and specialize in orthopedics and sports medicine?

When I was 16, I decided I wanted to be a physician. Before that, I loved sports so much that I wanted to play basketball for the rest of my life. When I realized that probably was not going to be either the long-term plan or the realistic plan, I started to think about other ways I could still be around sports.

The majority of my family members are in medicine. My father is an internal medicine doctor, my mother is a nurse practitioner, and my older cousin is an interventional radiologist. That had an influence on me when I was a sophomore or a junior in high school, and that’s when I decided to go into medical school to pursue sports medicine.

An English teacher of mine in 10th grade took us to the library and had us look at books in the career section. I found that sports medicine is an actual field. I didn't know exactly what the sports medicine field meant, but I knew it combined two of the things that I had an interest in. Thinking about how sports are important for being part of a team, discipline, health, and the preventive side of medicine reinforced that sports medicine was the correct field for me.

Come to find out orthopedics was just one type of sports medicine. Even outside of medical school, there is physical therapy, kinesiology, sports science, sports psychology, and sports management. I found out that there are lots of different ways to have a career in sports medicine.

For me, orthopedics became the target in my first year of medical school. I really didn’t know about the differences between orthopedic surgery or the family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine branches of sports medicine. I had to decide at that point which type of sports medicine I wanted to do as a doctor. When I looked into it, I figured that orthopedic surgery is the field where I get to use my hands the most. I'm also the last line of defense. I also work within a team, whether it’s in the clinic or in the operating room. Orthopedic surgery had the most attraction to me.

From that point on, I was pretty much locked in. I considered some other things very late into medical school like radiology, but honestly, it was always going to be sports medicine and orthopedic surgery.

What was your education journey like?

In college, I was a physics and biology major. I think that’s kind of the typical route—a lot of pre-med students traditionally will do some kind of science-based major, usually biology, chemistry, or physics. It's not a necessary thing. In fact, right around the time when I was leaving medical school and residency, I noticed there was an emphasis on non-science-related majors. There are certain science and math prerequisite classes, but if you get those taken care of, you can still do whatever major or minor you want.

Those other majors actually help you to be more well-rounded, which is what we need to be as physicians. We’re going to get the science no matter what, whether it's in undergrad or medical school. But, what we don't get is the business, economics, public health, or law background. So, even though I majored in biology and physics, I would encourage any student to do whatever major they are interested in. It's going to help them not only with being a better doctor but also with getting into medical school.

I was originally just a bio major, but I added physics in my third year because I was so interested in it. It was a good experience and definitely prepared me for the first year of medical school, which is heavily science-based—it’s physiology, anatomy, and biochemistry. It absolutely helps you get ready for that level of discipline in studying.

My medical school experience was the first time I really had to apply myself as far as time management and how much I spent reading. It's mostly a game of volume. It's about how much information you can absorb and communicate that you know it based on a multiple-choice test usually. That’s really the game in medical school. It’s about how disciplined you can be. It also depends on your study style and learning style. It was honestly a good experience for me—I felt like I got down my routine early and pretty well, which I recommend focusing on doing as a good strategy.

Is there anything that surprised you about orthopedics or medicine in general?

It seems like the business side of medicine is not really relayed in the training. You do get some exposure, but you learn most of what you're going to understand about the business of medicine once you are out and practicing. It's impressive how much more there is to learn.

For example, it surprised me how challenging it can be to deliver good care. It’s not just about the books—it's about understanding systems and processes and how to deliver care. I'm learning a lot right now in my first 10 years, and I am definitely making adjustments that I didn't think I would be making once I finished my training and started practicing. I thought it was going to be just the medicine, but now, I'm learning about business, economics, and how to get through the hurdles—whether it be insurance companies, hospital systems, or patient education (their awareness). There are a lot of different things you have to navigate around in order to deliver good care. But it's doable, and I'm very optimistic and happy learning about it.

Can you walk us through a typical day in your life?

I'm transitioning away from the inpatient side and more towards the outpatient side, which consists of both clinic and surgery. For outpatient clinics, I see patients as they walk into my office. Outpatient surgery is where I go to the operating room but my patients go home the same day.

Clinic Day

I like to get up fairly early, at 4:30 or 5:00 AM, get my workout in, and get my “me time” in—which can be meditating, reading a book or listening to a podcast, and answering some emails. Then, I eat a good healthy breakfast and get to work. That’s about three to four hours before I actually see a patient or converse with my medical staff. I usually start by 8:30 AM, and most clinics will start roughly between 7:30 and 9:00 AM. A clinic can range from just the morning clinic where we get out at about 12:00 PM/1:00 PM, or sometimes you can have a fuller clinic where you get out at 3:00 or 4:00 PM. I'm usually home by then, running all of the errands, and then I go to bed and repeat the next day.

Operative Day

My day in the operating room (OR) starts a little bit earlier because most surgeons like to begin between 6:30 to 7:30 AM. I still get up at the same time, but have a little less “me time” that day because I get to the operating room in the hospital or the surgery center at about 6:45 to 7:00 AM. Usually, my OR days will have between three to five cases, and they vary in length. Some cases are five minutes, while others are 4 hours. It really depends. On average, I finish up by 2:00 or 3:00 PM in the afternoon, which is slightly earlier compared to my clinic day.

What skills would you say are important for being an orthopedic surgeon?

Patients are from various different backgrounds and different walks of life, so you yourself want to be patient and a good listener. To be able to let them tell you what is wrong is a key skill that can be learned and practiced.

You also have to be resilient and have thick skin. You're going to have ups and downs, and you just can't let it get to you when you have some downs because you don't want it to affect you for the next patient. You want to still try to be 100% for the next patient, even though you’re facing some challenges and obstacles.

To be a surgeon, you want to practice your surgical skills. You want to be able to identify your learning style so that you can always engage in lifelong learning. You never want to be stagnant in your learning and not advance with time or not practice your craft. I think that’s very important.

You want to be sociable because the majority of the time you're working within a team setting, whether it's with your staff or your colleagues. You just will do more and do better the more people who are going with you. You can go fast alone, but you can go further when you go with other people, so you want to be able to work in a collaborative environment.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being an orthopedic surgeon?

I really enjoy when I can have this operative experience to help athletes get back to playing their sport. There are some challenging injuries for certain players and their families, and it's really remarkable when you are there to help them when they're vulnerable. A lot of things are going on for them at that moment. The most memorable times for me are when I can step in and make an impact right then and there on everyone's fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. When they appreciate you, that’s really impactful. You see how they calm down as you start explaining to them what's going on and educate them. You bring their understanding to a point where they are a lot less nervous and more confident and optimistic. This is such a powerful moment that happens when you take care of patients with acute injuries, whether it be sports or in the ER when I used to take call.

What would you say to a student who is interested in pursuing medicine?

It is an amazing field. There are challenges, don't get me wrong, but I think there are really good solutions to those challenges. You can still be a good doctor—the doctor that you've always dreamed of. At the end of the day, you're serving. I think that's what most people want to do. They want to serve and be of help to other people. There are very few professions that can offer that in the way that a physician does. There is so much reward from it that’s still out there. It's only a matter of figuring it out and learning from folks and doctors who've come before you. Once you figure out how to get past obstacles, it’s worth it. There are plenty of resources, from podcasts to support groups, with great solutions on how to still be a great doctor, love what you do, and not get burned out.

I would encourage everyone to embrace the journey that you will go on if you decide to go into medicine. It's an amazing journey and like I said, the rewards are there. It's worth it. You'll live a very fulfilling life because you'll be serving others and doing good.

Do you have any book/podcast recommendations for aspiring doctors?

A really good podcast that I've been listening to for the past year that touches on healthcare issues in a positive way is "Healthcare Americana." They put the patients first and take a look at the business side of medicine—all the other intangible things we don't really know about but need to understand in order to deliver good care. "Becker’s Healthcare" is also a good podcast, a little newer but an excellent resource.

As for books, I think mindset books are great books to read and learn from. Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a great one. It makes sure you're in the right frame of mind to help others and achieve a level of freedom. That way, you're not bound by anyone else in order to do the things that you want to do as a doctor. The author of that book is a friend of another author who wrote a similar book specifically dedicated to doctors called Why Doctors Don't Get Rich. I recommend all future doctors and current doctors read that book.

What do you hope to see in the future of orthopedics and sports medicine?

There are a few things that have really opened up a lot of possibilities for orthopedics and sports medicine. The research behind orthobiologics is probably the most exciting thing that’s happening in the field. Orthobiologics has to do with different ways to use the body's natural healing processes in a very focused way to heal injured areas of the body. It's even been applied in other specialties beyond orthopedics as well. There's a lot of good that can come from that. With AI and technology, we can teach each other better, learn better, and practice better. We can be more efficient, and it’s really exciting to see what comes from that.

Learn More:

• Movement Orthopaedic Institute
• Becker’s Health Podcast
• Healthcare Americana Podcast
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
• Why Doctors Don't Get Rich by Tom Burns