orthopedic medicine

Meaning

1. 1noununcountable

   The branch of medicine that deals with injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments.

   Grammar: Uncountable; used with a singular verb: Orthopedic medicine is a growing field.

   Patterns

   • practice orthopedic medicine
   • a specialist in orthopedic medicine
   • orthopedic medicine department

   After his knee injury, he was referred to a doctor who specializes in orthopedic medicine.

   Orthopedic medicine has advanced rapidly, with new materials for joint replacements.

   She studied orthopedic medicine because she wanted to help athletes recover from fractures.

Common combinations

practice orthopedic medicine

He has practiced orthopedic medicine for twenty years.

specialist in orthopedic medicine

The clinic has two specialists in orthopedic medicine.

orthopedic medicine department

The hospital opened a new orthopedic medicine department last month.

orthopedic medicine and surgery

The conference covered both orthopedic medicine and surgery.

Synonyms and how they differ

orthopedics

A shorter, more common term for the same field; it is often used in informal and professional contexts.

orthopedic surgery

Focuses specifically on the surgical side, while orthopedic medicine can include nonsurgical treatment.

Word family

orthopedic adjective

Relating to the correction or treatment of bone and muscle problems.

orthopedist noun

A doctor who specializes in orthopedic medicine.

orthopedics noun

The field itself, often used as a shorter label.

Commonly confused: orthopedic medicine or pediatric medicine?

Practice

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