A general surgeon has principal expertise in the diagnosis and care of patients with diseases and disorders affecting the abdomen, digestive tract, endocrine system, breast, skin, and blood vessels. A general surgeon is also trained in the treatment of patients who are injured or critically ill, and in the care of pediatric and cancer patients.

As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it's like in a particular specialty? Shadowing a doctor offers valuable insights to help determine whether a career in certain specialty is a good fit for you. Meet featured physicians in the AMA’s  “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from physicians about life in their specialties.

The House of Delegates (HOD) is the legislative and policy-making body of the American Medical Association. State medical associations and national medical specialty societies are represented in the HOD along with AMA sections, national societies such as AMWA, AOA and the NMA, professional interest medical associations, and the federal services, including the Public Health Service.