What it is
General surgeons diagnose and operate on a broad range of conditions — especially of the abdomen, digestive tract, skin, and soft tissue — and manage surgical patients before and after operations.
What you do
General surgeons perform operations, run trauma and acute-care surgery, and manage perioperative care; the field is the foundation for many surgical subspecialties.
Training path & length
5-year residency, followed by optional 1–2 year fellowships to subspecialize.
Fellowship subspecialties
Fellowships include vascular surgery, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, trauma & critical care, pediatric surgery, minimally invasive/bariatric surgery, and transplant.
Pay & job outlook
Physicians are among the highest-paid professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of $275,930 for physicians and surgeons (May 2025), with employment projected to grow about 4% from 2025 to 2035 and ~22,100 openings per year. Pay varies widely by specialty — procedural and surgical fields generally earn more, primary-care and pediatric fields less.
Surgeons generally earn well above the physician median; procedural volume and subspecialty drive pay higher.
How to get there
Become a physician first: earn an MD or DO, then match into this residency through the national match. Licensure requires completing residency and passing the board exams.
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Key facts
- Residency5 years
- FocusOperative and perioperative care
- FellowshipsVascular, colorectal, surgical onc, trauma/CC, and more
- PayAbove the physician median
- EntryMD or DO via the match