Orthopedic Surgeons: The Panelbeaters of the Human Body

Going into surgery, I was very unenthusiastic. I wanted the 8 weeks of posting to quickly pass by, so I could get on with my life. Unfortunately for me, I had to begin my rotations with Orthopedics which is considered one of the messy aspects of surgery. To cut the long story short, I ended up having a blast at the Orthopedics department and that is because it made me see the similarities between cars and humans.

Before diving into today's topic of discussion, I need my TurboNerdz to share in my joy! During the last race weekend, Sir Lewis Hamilton won Pole Position after what seemed like a decade. In F1 there are qualifying rounds before the main race, so the racer with the fastest lap time gets to start the proper race in front of the grid and every other racer follows suit. The reason for the excitement is because Hamilton has been having issues with his F1 car since the start of the season, but him winning pole position means his car is finally responding and there is hope for an 8th World Championship!

Soon to be 8th World Champion

Orthopedic surgeons are doctors who specialize in the musculoskeletal system, treatment of disorders of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. On the other hand, a Panelbeater is a person whose job is to restore vehicle bodies back to their factory state. Both job descriptions involve returning a damaged part back to it's former glory. So what are the similarities I discovered?

1. The Tools

Orthopedic Vs Panel Beating Tools

First glance at image above, there seems to be no obvious difference between the tools used for Orthopedic surgeries performed on human beings and those used to panel beat vehicles. I guess we can stop referring to Orthopedic Surgeons as Carpenters and instead call them Panel beaters. I absolutely love working on cars or at least watch while car technicians do their thing. I guess you can now understand the excitement I felt seeing these tools especially the surgical drills being used in the theatre.

2. Both Aim to Restore

In the event of an accident, there is damage to the vehicle and in serious cases, one or two bones are fractured. The fractured bones are restored by the Orthopedic surgeon in the operating room while the damaged car is brought back to life by the Panelbeater. I have seen terrible Orthopedic cases that make you wonder if the patients will ever be able to walk again and I have also seen cars that were wrecked beyond recognition. In both scenarios, these hero's with their specialized tools make human limbs walk again and cars drivable again. I don't know about you but that is a perfect happily ever after for both vehicle and it's owner.

This is an unusual topic but I was somehow able to combine both of my passions in one text. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did while putting pen to paper. Thank you for reading and always remember to Turbo that engine!