Who are surgeons?
Surgeons are medical doctors who train to perform surgical procedures. They perform diagnostic, cosmetic, corrective, and therapeutic procedures. They can investigate diseases, repair or remove damaged tissues, and enhance the functioning or appearance of a body part.
Surgeons must possess steady hands and exceptional fine motor skills, apart from their intensive medical training, which typically lasts a minimum of 13 years. They may have to train for another year or two if they choose to specialize.
Both in-patient and out-patient settings are suitable for performing surgeries. Typically, a surgeon leads a team comprising an anesthesiologist, a registered nurse, a surgical assistant, a surgical technologist, etc. They play a vital role in all surgery stages, ensuring no complications during postoperative recovery, and plan appropriate follow-up sessions.
Patients typically undergo surgery for the following reasons:
- To understand a condition better or to get an accurate diagnosis
- To extract tissue samples from a suspected area
- For organ transplants
- To change or modify appearances
- To remove obstructions from an organ
- To redirect blood vessels
- To remove or repair organs or tissues
- To reposition body parts for better alignment and posture
- To insert electronic or mechanical devices into the body
The urgency, purpose, degree of invasiveness, location, and type of instruments involved in surgery determine a surgeon's technique. Based on urgency, surgeries can be emergent, i.e., where time is of the essence and operations need to be performed immediately. Alternatively, they can also be elective, chosen by the patients, or scheduled in advance, even though they might only sometimes be optional.
Surgeries can be minimally invasive, i.e., requiring minimal incisions on the body or opening, without cutting into body parts. It is also possible to characterize functions performed by surgeons based on specialty areas, i.e., neurologic, orthopedic, nephrotic, cardiac, etc. Surgical procedures may use different instruments, such as lasers, catheters, robots, etc.
Education and training of a surgeon
Becoming a surgeon requires many years of learning and training. Aspirants must first complete an undergraduate degree in pre-med or science subjects. Then, they must pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to enroll in an accredited medical school and complete four years of education. Before they graduate medical school, prospective surgeons must zero in on a specialty and pursue a residency program in the chosen field. Some specialties require clearing additional examinations for enrollment in residency programs.
Surgical residencies take longer to complete than other medical residencies and last for at least five years. During this time, surgeons hone their operating skills and learn to make quick decisions. Practitioners seeking specialized, post-residency clinical experience pursue surgical fellowships in different subspecialties, such as general surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and cardiothoracic surgery.
Different specialties of surgeons
When looking for surgeons near you, search for someone suitable for your requirements. Each body area requires a different surgeon, who may use various techniques. Some of the most common surgical specialists are:
- General surgeons: They operate on various conditions that may impact body parts, such as the neck, skin, abdominal wall, soft tissues, etc. They are responsible for their patients' comprehensive health management and providing pre-operative, operative, and postoperative care. General surgery is often a stepping-stone for doctors to move on to numerous other specialties.
- Neurosurgeons: Commonly referred to as brain surgeons, they deal with illnesses of the brain and the central, autonomic, and peripheral nervous systems. They operate to treat conditions such as brain tumors, aneurysms, head injuries, spinal disorders, etc.
- Colon and rectal surgeons: They treat patients with problems in any part of their intestines. They perform abdominal surgical procedures, robotic surgeries to dissect the pelvis, colonoscopies, etc.
- Obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYN): They work with pregnant women, deliver babies and care for them after birth, and treat concerns related to the female reproductive system. They often work in a team with primary care physicians and provide health maintenance. They can care for sexually transmitted diseases and infections, pelvic inflammatory diseases, ovarian cysts, etc.
- Orthopedic surgeons: They treat musculoskeletal conditions, including muscles, bones, joints, associated nerves, and overlying skin. Orthopedic surgeons also treat patients using braces, splints, casts, physical therapy, etc.
- Pediatric surgeons: They work with children, from providing postoperative care to newborns to helping teenagers navigate through adolescence. Pediatric surgeons often collaborate with pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, neonatologists, family physicians, etc.
- Thoracic surgeons: Also called cardiothoracic or cardiac surgeons - these are specialists who use processes and systems like endoscopy, cardiac assist devices, and pleural drainage to perform surgical procedures on the heart and other organs of the chest, including the lung, esophagus, coronary artery, chest wall, heart valves, diaphragm, airways, and mediastinum. They operate on patients with lung cancer, esophageal cancer, tumors of the mediastinum, etc.
- Plastic surgeons: Also called maxillofacial surgeons, they perform cosmetic surgeries and repair, replace, and reconstruct body parts. They generally transfer skin flaps or tissues from one body part to another. Standard procedures include nose reshaping, breast augmentation, reconstructive surgeries on burn or trauma victims, etc.
- Critical care surgeons: Critical care surgeons work with patients who have acute, life-threatening, or potentially life-threatening surgical requirements. They perform surgical procedures (exploratory surgeries, chest wall stabilizations, appendectomies, bronchoscopies, etc.) to address injuries resulting from burns, trauma, infections, acute inflammation, or ischemia.
- Ophthalmologists: Ophthalmologists provide comprehensive eye and vision care. They address conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, corneal dystrophies, eye cancer, macular degeneration, strabismus, uveitis, and retinal detachment by performing an array of surgical procedures. These include cataracts and refractive surgery, anterior segment surgery, vitreoretinal surgery, and oculoplastics and orbit surgery.
- Otolaryngologists: Otolaryngologists address conditions affecting the ears, nose, throat, and related structures in the respiratory and upper alimentary systems. They perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, remove polyps and tumors, and correct cleft palates to treat illnesses like hearing loss, sinus and nasal cavity disorders, allergies, and migraine headaches.
- Surgical oncologists: Surgical oncologists specialize in diagnosing, treating, and offering rehabilitation for cancer patients. They perform biopsies for diagnostic purposes, collaborate with other oncologic specialists, and perform surgeries to relieve cancer symptoms, remove cancer, or control its spread. Typically, they address cancers of the throat, thyroid, breast, lung, skin, liver, kidneys, colon, pancreas, gallbladder, and uterus.
- Vascular surgeons: Vascular surgeons focus on the circulatory system and work with patients with diseases related to their veins and arteries. They perform both minimally invasive procedures and open, complicated surgeries to treat conditions like stroke, aneurysms, and atherosclerosis.
- Urologists: Urologists focus on conditions affecting the adrenal gland and the urinary and reproductive systems. They operate on the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate, urethra, and testes to treat diseases like kidney stones and incontinence. They perform open laparoscopic surgeries, minimally invasive endoscopies, and robotic surgical procedures.
What procedures can a surgeon carry out?
Surgical procedures are performed by surgeons either on an inpatient or outpatient basis. A surgeon-led surgical team typically includes an anesthesiologist and a registered nurse. Still, it may involve other medical professionals such as surgical assistants, technologists, circulating nurses, and cardiac perfusionists.
During the preoperative phase, the primary focus is to ensure the patient is in good health and adequately prepared for the surgery. A nurse or surgeon typically assesses a patient's health status in a hospital. Ultimately, the surgeon is responsible for reviewing the findings and giving the go-ahead to proceed.
The intraoperative phase is the surgical process from the patient's entry into the operating room until their transfer to the recovery room. Before surgery, the surgeon washes their hands and wears sterile gloves, masks, and sterile drapes to prevent contamination.
During the operation, the surgeon may perform one or several procedures, such as:
- Ablation: It involves the destruction of tissue or tumors using electricity, microwaves, freezing, or chemicals.
- Anastomosis: It refers to the reconnection or bypassing of structures that carry fluids, like intestines or blood vessels.
- Angioplasty: It is a process that helps widen a narrowed blood vessel.
- Arthrodesis: It is a surgical process in which bones are connected to allow them to grow as a single unit.
- Centesis: It is the process of extracting fluid through a needle or tube with the intent of diagnosis or treatment.
- Debridement: It involves removing dead tissue.
- Decompression: It refers to reducing pressure, including pressure on the spinal vertebrae or within the skull.
- Excision: It is the surgical procedure of removing an organ, tumor, or tissue from the body.
- Grafts: They refer to tissue transfer from one part of the body to another.
- Implants: They are permanent or semi-permanent mechanical devices, such as pacemakers, heart valves, and cochlear implants.
- Ligation: It involves the tying off of tubes, blood vessels, or ducts.
- Prostheses: They are artificial devices that replace body structures like the knee, hip, or breasts.
- Reduction: It refers to realigning a body part, such as bone or cartilage, to help correct its position.
- Resection: It is the partial removal of an affected organ or structure.
- Stent placement: It involves inserting an artificial tube-like implant into narrowed or blocked vessels or ducts.
- Transplantation: It involves transferring a donated organ or tissue from a human or animal.
During the postoperative phase, the surgeon's main responsibility is to manage any complications that may arise from the surgery. The surgeon will also need to discuss the outcome of the surgery with the patient, sharing any positive or negative findings. Additionally, the surgeon will oversee the appropriate long-term follow-up for any ongoing post-surgical issues.
What happens at a pre-surgery consultation?
If you plan to schedule a consultation with a surgeon near you, here is what you should know about surgical consultations.
As with any doctor's appointment, the surgeon will first ask for details about your health, including any chronic or acute conditions, family medical history, prescription and over-the-counter medicines, lifestyle and dietary habits, etc. They may also request and study your previous test results, such as reports of X-ray and C.T. scans and blood or urine analyses. The surgeon may also perform a physical examination to check if you can undergo the surgery.
The surgeon may recommend additional testing if you have diabetes or cardiac conditions. Once you get the all-clear for surgery, your doctor will describe the procedure in detail. You can discuss possible outcomes, side effects, and any other concerns. Some questions you might need answers to include associated complications or risks, post-surgery recovery time, and whether a second opinion might help.
During this consultation, your surgeon will also suggest what you can and cannot do in the days preceding the procedure. You will likely need to stop any medications that you use daily. Finally, it is crucial to let the surgeon know if you are allergic to anesthesia, medicines, or other substances.
How to find the right surgeon near you in Atlanta, GA?
If your symptoms worsen with time, your healthcare provider may recommend you consult a surgeon. Surgery is an exhaustive and crucial process, so choosing a suitable surgeon will help you make a difference. Zocdoc provides a platform and a handy insurance detector to make this journey more accessible by finding the best surgeons in your area who also accept your insurance plans.
You must enter your location (Atlanta, Georgia), specialty (surgeons), and preferred appointment date to find top-ranking doctors. Furthermore, you can save money by going for an in-network provider if you have a health plan. You can include your insurance carrier's name on the website search, and Zocdoc will show you the best surgeons who accept your health plan.
At Zocdoc, the patient-doctor connection is taken very seriously. We provide an open directory of the best medical and healthcare providers matching all your requirements. Each provider listed on Zocdoc has a unique profile on the website that consists of their educational qualifications and board certifications. The website also provides details about expertise, experience, and gender preferences. Before visiting a doctor, you can make an informed decision by looking at our provider profiles, user ratings, and verified reviews.
When booking an appointment on Zocdoc, the website prompts you to share details about your insurance or to acknowledge that you are paying out-of-pocket. Some healthcare providers request insurance information in order to schedule appointments with them. If you do not have insurance or do not want to use insurance for your appointment, you can always find another suitable provider on Zocdoc. For more insurance-related queries, check Zocdoc's patient help center.
Booking appointments with a surgeon near you on Zocdoc is straightforward, safe, and 100% free!
Surgery statistics in Georgia
As per a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study, in May 2021, there were approximately 1,070 active surgeons in Georgia. It also stated that the South Georgia Non-Metropolitan Area had the highest number nationally, with nearly 190 practicing surgeons. The Bureau also released the State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, which concluded that there were roughly 210 practicing orthopedic surgeons in the state, except those who practice as pediatric surgeons. All other surgeons amounted to 1,070 in total.
Data gathered from Definitive Healthcare reports concluded that there were approximately 11,815 active ambulatory surgery centers in the United States. With almost 642 vibrant centers, Georgia ranked fourth in the top ten states.
Sources
WebMD
St. George's University
Verywell Health
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2]
Definitive Healthcare
BestColleges
Adventist Health
