This study aims to understand how to optimize clinical decision-making and critical thinking in orthopaedics for the best patient outcomes. Peer reviewed literature surrounding orthopedics and published between 2011 and 2024 was collected, including a wide variety of study types, such as case studies, surveys, qualitative research, and systematic reviews. These studies were then filtered again in favor of articles that described decision making frameworks, impact of biases on clinical decisions, and the use of AI in orthopedic practice. Main themes that were identified in these articles include the importance of critical thinking in decision making, challenges of integrating research into clinical practice, difficulties overcoming clinical biases, and the significance of educating orthopedic surgeons on critical thinking through case studies and simulation-based training. Additionally, the study looked at the influence of AI in decision making for more accurate diagnoses and better patient outcomes. Researchers identified the areas in which these studies lacked or could have benefitted from, then analyzed how to remedy such issues. They concluded that better training systems which emphasize decision making, more evidence integrated into everyday practice, and practice-wide acknowledgement of clinical biases are key factors needed in orthopedics to prioritize positive patient outcomes.