While the average age of practicing physicians in the U.S. is 53.9, the average practicing orthopedic surgeon is 56, according to a 2023 report from Definitive Healthcare.
Orthopedic surgeons are tied as the third oldest physician specialists, alongside occupational medicine specialists, preventive medicine specialists and thoracic surgeons.
Hospitalists are the youngest specialists, at age 44 on average. Several specialties are older, on average, than orthopedic surgeons, including cardiac surgery (59), adult medicine (58) and general practitioners (58).