if you can't bench 500lbs, then you should go into path or rads

Strength is helpful if you are going to manually do something like hold a reduction while someone nails the tibia/femur or forcefully reduce a distal radius fracture. However, we have plenty of tools/devices to use to get around these issues such as traction/distractors/traveling fixators etc.... In most cases, those tools provide better, safer, and more controlled situations.

At least in my practice, probably the only thing that I do that requires some hard work occasionally is reducing a dislocated total hip.

while it is helpful, one of the best residents from my program was a female who on a good day could bench maybe 30lbs. You will here it over and over again, finesse will win out over strength. I am no weakling but I agree. If you like ortho, put it out of your mind now and show people your brains.