Surgical specialties

Surgical Specialties refer to the specific areas within the field of surgery where a surgeon can specialize. These specialties are usually determined by patient age, type of surgery, or the area of the body that is being treated. There are currently 14 recognized surgical specialties in the United States, each with its own unique focus and training requirements.

General Surgery

General Surgery is a discipline that requires knowledge of and responsibility for the preoperative, operative, and postoperative management of patients with a broad spectrum of diseases, including those which may require nonoperative, elective, or emergency surgical treatment.

Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic Surgery involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Some orthopedic surgeons are generalists, while others specialize in certain areas of the body, such as hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand, or spine.

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax — generally treatment of conditions of the heart and lungs.

Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery.

Urology

Urology, also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the male and female urinary-tract system and the male reproductive organs.

Otolaryngology

Otolaryngology is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck.

Pediatric Surgery

Pediatric Surgery is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

Vascular Surgery

Vascular Surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which diseases of the vascular system, or arteries, veins and lymphatic circulation, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine and surgery which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Obstetrics and Gynecology is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period) and gynecology (covering the health of the female reproductive system – vagina, uterus, ovaries, and breasts).

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery specializes in treating many diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (jaws and face) region.

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Colon and Rectal Surgery is a field of medicine dealing with disorders of the rectum, anus, and colon.

Trauma Surgery

Trauma Surgery is a surgical specialty that utilizes both operative and non-operative management to treat traumatic injuries, typically in an acute setting.