General Surgeon
What the work is
Performs surgery to treat diseases and illnesses covering a broad range of medical conditions.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Consults with patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories
- Examines and evaluates patients to determine if surgical treatment of illnesses, conditions and injuries are required, and explains risks to patients
- Requests laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures, and interprets findings
- Performs surgery and procedures in operating theatres and treatment rooms
- Prescribes post-operative care and observes patient progress
- Provides specialist advice to generalist Medical Practitioners or other specialists
- Prescribes medication and recommends preventative action to treat illness or injuries
- Maintains patient records
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a hospital surgical ward, outpatient clinic and operating theatre. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A patient who was in pain for years walks into clinic and thanks you for giving them their life back
- An operation goes exactly as planned because the team prepared well
- A trainee you supervise handles a hard moment well on their own
Hard days
- Telling a patient or family that the operation did not go as hoped
- Long days on your feet in theatre, followed by clinic and paperwork
- Decisions where the safest option is the one the patient least wants
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 264631, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.