General surgeons cover many different types of surgery and must be well rounded and knowledgeable of human anatomy and physiology. They use images from CT scans, MRI, X-ray and ultrasounds to from radiology to perform surgery, and can do complex surgeries such as transplantations.
Schooling begins with pre med which is 4 years and then a Surgeon has to get admission into med school. That then takes 4 years. Then a surgeon has to find a suitable residency position in a surgical program. If you want to be a general surgeon you have between 5 to 7 years of training depending on if the surgeon decides to have a year or two in research. The salary is dependent on what kind of practice you join.
The training of a General Surgeon encompasses the entire body which is completed in an accredited surgery residency program that is at least five years and often longer. The practice of the average general surgeon now encompasses the alimentary tract (Esophagus, Stomach, Small and Large Bowel), the abdomen and its contents, the pelvis, the skin, soft tissue, musculoskeletal system, the chest, the head and neck, the vascular system, the endocrine system, oncology, and trauma.
Obviously Surgeons receive a ample salary to say the least General Surgeons on average receive pay between $176,000 to $319,000. Surgeons are supposed to work a 35-hour week. However, surveys have found 71% reported working 48 hours per week and 24% were working up to 60 hours per week, excluding on-call time.
I chose General surgeons to research because specialization is not an aspect of medince that I can see myself in. I would much rather treat a wide viriety of systems then to be specialized one organ system. Surgeons are interesting to me because they actually cut in and treat the problem rather then depending on drugs.