Occasionally patients are initially confused when they are referred to me for a hernia or a gallbladder problem. Yes – I am a specialist breast and endocrine surgeon – but I am also a specialist general surgeon.
General surgeons are a highly skilled and broadly trained surgeons that deal with a wide range of surgical conditions. These days, most general surgeons have special interest and extra training in more focused areas, but keep up their general surgery skills and interests.
General surgeons often take years of extra training (after general surgery training) in areas like:
🔸 Breast & Endocrine Surgery
🔸 Colorectal Surgery
🔸 Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
🔸 Hepatobiliary Surgery
🔸 Soft Tissue Surgical Oncology
🔸 Trauma Surgery
🔸 Transplant Surgery
I love being a specialist breast, thyroid and parathyroid surgeon. But as they say – “variety is the spice of life!” and general surgeons are trained to tackle whatever comes through the door. It certainly keeps you on your toes and is mostly very rewarding.
In the last year I have managed thousands of surgical cases – from breast cancers, huge thyroids, horrific stabbings, bowel perforations, appendicitis, hernias, gallbladders…. right through to small skin lesions I have excised in the office.
Here is a spleen we removed last year – this case got the heart rate up!
