General Surgery is a specialty of surgery requiring a minimum of 5 years of surgical internship and residency.  During that time the surgeon is trained in all areas of gastrointestinal surgical diseases. This includes colon, small intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and other internal organs.  Surgical diseases of the chest and mediastinum are also areas of training.  Trauma surgery, oncologic surgery, thyroid surgery, breast surgery, vascular surgery and more recently extensive laparoscopic surgery is included in the training of all general surgeons.

Endoscopy(EGD and colonoscopy) is also an area of training of most general surgeons.