Officer Subspecialty
SURGERY
Surgery
An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.
Description
General surgeons evaluate, diagnose, and treat surgical conditions of the entire body, including trauma and burns. Surgeons in this specialty are typically assigned to Role 2 and Role 3 facilities in the expeditionary environment providing damage control surgery and more definitive care prior to theatre evacuation. While in garrison, general surgeons will practice in military hospitals or high volume military-civilian institutional partnerships to maintain their surgical skill set. General surgeons maintain a broad skillset that keeps them relevant in a wide variety of situations. Many general surgeons will also pursue subspecialty training in areas such as trauma/critical care, colorectal, vascular, minimally invasive, pediatric, and surgical oncology.
Core Skills
- general surgical diagnosis
- trauma and burn management
- damage control surgery
- abdominal surgery
- perioperative patient care
- critical care coordination
- emergency surgical decision making
- operative team leadership
- surgical quality improvement
Common Certifications
- American Board of Surgery Board Certification
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS)
- Certified Physician Executive (CPE)
Civilian Career Paths
- EMERGENCY MEDICINE
- SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY
- CLINICAL TECHNICIAN
- REHABILITATION
Training & Development
Getting Started
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
Career Growth
- American Board of Surgery Board Certification
- Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS)
- Certified Physician Executive (CPE)
Equivalent Roles in Other Branches
Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.