By Jaime Joshi Elder
Just as a military general commands all operations and makes strategic decisions for his geographic area, a general surgeon commands a vast spectrum of surgical care affecting almost every area of the human body, making strategic medical decisions to ensure the best health outcomes for their patient.
Military precision is something Dr. Andrew Shapiro of Advanced Surgical Physicians understands well.
He completed his residency in General Surgery at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Ft. Gordon, Georgia and went on to be awarded a Combat Medic badge, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
“It has been an incredible journey and I am deeply grateful for the trust my patients have placed in me,” said Dr. Shapiro.
What Is General Surgery?
One of the 14 surgical specialties recognized by the American College of Surgeons, General Surgeons have an acute understanding of the entire surgical process from the initial evaluation, preparation for surgery, the procedure itself and post-operative management.
Additionally, a general surgeon must have an in-depth understanding of all nine basic areas of surgery:
- The digestive tract
- Skin and soft tissue such as the breasts
- The heart and blood vessels
- The abdomen and its contents such as stomach, duodenum, liver, gallbladder, the tail of the pancreas, spleen and the transverse colon
- Hormones and glands (part of the endocrine system)
- The head and neck
- Surgical treatment of cancer
- Surgical treatment of traumatic injuries
- Care of critically ill patients who need surgery
In order to specialize in general surgery, a doctor needs a minimum of 13 years of education – a four-year bachelor’s degree, a four-year medical degree, a five year surgical residency and they need to pass the medical boards.
Following formal education is a five year training program with a year or less dedicated to a single specialized surgical discipline and six months or less dedicated to non-surgical disciplines such as pediatrics or anesthesiology.
At least four and a half years must be dedicated to clinical surgery with experience in emergency care, intensive surgical care and endoscopy with three of these clinical surgery years dedicated to the principal components of general surgery.
“What inspired me to become a general surgeon was the ability to take complete care of a patient from the very beginning. From initially diagnosing what is ailing them to completing surgery and alleviating them of their pain or illness to watching them recover and feel better,” Dr. Kyle Eldredge of Advanced Surgical Physicians. “There is no greater relationship in medicine than a surgeon and their patient.”
Additionally, general surgeons must also keep abreast of advances in medical technology such as minimally-invasive surgical procedures.
Minimally invasive robotic surgery is used for various procedures ranging from general to gynecologic to bariatric to single-site gallbladder surgery. Because the procedure only uses small cuts, it’s less traumatic on the patient’s body which ultimately results in less pain, fewer complications, less blood loss and less scarring than with traditional surgery.
Last August, Dr. Shapiro celebrated his 1000th surgical procedure with the cutting edge da Vinci® robot – a minimally invasive system which guides a physician’s hand movements with a precise range of motion while also delivering high-resolution magnified images of the surgical area.
“I am focused on ensuring the best outcomes for my patients,” Dr. Shapiro said. “The advancement of medical technology like the da Vinci system means not only improving surgical outcomes but also quicker recovery times and reduced hospital stays.”
When You Might See A General Surgeon
Because the practice of general surgery is varied, there are numerous reasons a patient might see a general surgeon.
A patient’s doctor might recommend a surgical option if non-surgical options have been exhausted or merely are not enough. If a patient is opting for elective surgery which can be planned in advance such as the removal of skin lesions or hemorrhoidectomies, they might see a general surgeon.
Conversely, if a patient is having a medical emergency such as a swollen appendix in need of an appendectomy or a gunshot wound, they will need to see a general surgeon immediately.
A good general surgeon is an invaluable resource and the staff at Advanced Surgical Physicians are happy to help and provide answers to any questions you might have.
They can be reached at: (561) 333-1335 or via their website at: https://www.toplinemd.com/advanced-surgical-physicians/