General surgery is a surgical specialty.General surgeons perform surgeries for a wide range of common conditions, such as those of the digestive tract and abdomen. They are trained to manage emergencies and are responsible for patient care before, during, and after surgery.
All surgeons must start their training in general surgery, but many then go on to focus on another specialty.
This article explains what general surgeons do, the training and education they receive, and common surgeries performed by general surgeons.
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What a General Surgeon Does
Although general surgeons are specialists, they have a broad knowledge of many different conditions affecting nearly any part of your body. They're also able to manage care in emergencies.
In addition to performing surgeries, general surgeons are responsible for the diagnosis and pre- and post-operative care. They often comprehensively manage the treatment of people who are critically ill or injured.
The American Board of Surgery provides certifications for general surgery, one of 14 surgical specialties.
Certification Components of General Surgery
According to the American Board of Surgery, certified general surgeons are trained to manage conditions of the:
- Digestive tract (also known as the alimentary or gastrointestinal tract): This includes organs that your ingested food and liquids travel through, starting with the mouth, going through the throat, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and rectum, and ending with the anus.
- Abdomen and its contents: The abdomen is more than just your stomach—it also contains the liver, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, uterus, and ovaries, among other organs.
- Breast, skin, and soft tissue: Soft tissues can be found throughout the body, connecting, supporting, and surrounding other organs. They include fat, muscle, nerves, blood vessels, and more.
- Endocrine system: This includes glands and organs that make hormones, such as the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, testes or ovaries, hypothalamus, and pancreas.
In addition, general surgeons must have knowledge and experience in:
- Surgical critical care: Taking care of people who are critically ill and require surgery, which can take place in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and trauma/burn units
- Surgical oncology: Managing the treatment of people with cancer, from screening and surveillance to surgical therapy to rehabilitation. This also includes head and neck surgery.
- Trauma: Including managing all phases of care for injuries
Sometimes, with additional training, general surgeons are also certified to provide the following types of surgery:
- Vascular: For conditions involving the blood flow
- Pediatric: For children from birth to late adolescence
- Thoracic: For conditions involving the thorax (chest) area, which includes the esophagus, lungs, diaphragm, and more
- Burns
- Solid organ transplantation: For organs including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, heart, and lungs
Common Procedures Performed by General Surgeons
General surgeons are highly skilled providers who are trained to address a wide variety of conditions. Surgeries they can provide include:
- Appendectomies (removing the appendix)
- Emergency surgeries (such as for injuries)
- Curative cancer surgeries
- Bariatric (weight loss) surgeries
- Splenectomies (removing the spleen)
- Endocrine surgeries
- Surgeries for ruptured aneurysms
- Surgeries for tumors, including those of the skin, thyroid, and oral cavity
- Hernia repairs
What procedures a general surgeon performs can vary from day to day. They're also involved in the diagnosis and care before and after the operation.
Education and Training for General Surgeons
To become a general surgeon in the U.S., the American Board of Surgery requires you to complete the following broad steps:
- Graduate from an accredited medical school: Once you graduate from medical school, which typically takes four years, you're officially a physician, but your education is less than halfway to completion at this point.
- Complete five years of residency education: You'll be required to complete at least 60 months of full-time clinical activity, with most of that time spent in clinical surgery. Throughout your training, your level of responsibility will increase. Among other specific requirements, you'll need to complete at least 850 operative procedures as a surgeon.
- Pass two exams from the American Board of Surgery: This includes the General Surgery Qualifying Examination (GSQE) and later the General Surgery Certifying Exam (GSCE).
Once you're certified as a general surgeon, you'll need to participate in the Continuous Certification program throughout your career—a way to show that you remain committed to learning and patient care.
Training Serving Unique Clinical Needs
General surgeons can be found practicing many types of surgery, and the broad-based nature of their education makes it possible for general surgeons to perform many procedures in the performance of their jobs. Some may choose to go on to a specialty, but others enjoy the variety that makes up the day of a true general surgeon and practice a wide assortment of procedures.
General surgeons also have the flexibility to work in a variety of settings, with many different types of medical teams and patients. According to the American Board of Surgery, general surgeons are able to work with interdisciplinary teams to address the unique clinical needs of specific groups, such as:
- People who are terminally ill and may require palliative care, pain management, counseling, and support.
- People with obesity may require bariatric surgery for weight loss as well as counseling for them and their families.
- People who are 75 or older and are therefore classified as geriatric surgical patients. They may need help managing multiple chronic diseases.
- Culturally diverse and vulnerable populations
Summary
A general surgeon is a highly skilled surgeon, and the word "general" does not mean a lack of specific training. Rather, you can think of the general surgeon as a specialist in commonly performed surgeries, such as appendectomies.
The general surgeon is an essential part of the healthcare team, able to manage emergencies, diagnose conditions, and be responsible for pre- and post-operative care of patients.
To become a general surgeon, a medical school graduate must complete five years of residency education with specific requirements and pass two specialty exams. The American Board of Surgery can provide certifications for general surgery, one of 14 surgical specialties.
