The title "surgeon general"

[MacGyver]

WTF is this title all about?

Why do we have the word "surgeon" in this title when in fact the people who serve in this role are almost certainly NOT surgeons nor have they ever been surgeons.

somebody explain this to me. The term "surgeon" implies a very specific meaning, its not just a general term for some kind of medical leader/commander.

Its a bad title and should be stripped. Call it "medical commander or medical supreme leader" or something more appropriate.

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[deegs]

If I can remember what Dale Smith taught me.....

It has to do with the historical origins of both the military physician and the field of surgery. Originally, surgeons were NOT doctors, they were true scapel jocks. All they had to do was saw and sew very quickly. Military commanders started taking them along on campaigns (big long evolution of care here) and this was the only medical care provided. The guy in charge of medical care for the battalion was the "battalion surgeon." As science progressed, the surgeons became doctors. Then they figured out that more troops died of other things than battle wounds (see Napoleon's ill fated death march in and out of Russia), so a non-surgeon would be fine being the guy in charge of medical care for the battalion. But he was still called the battalion surgeon (or the brigade surgeon, or the surgeon general) as a title for the position.

These days, the military generally fills these slots with non-surgeons, because a big-picture doc is better suited for the role and the surgeons are needed elsewhere. As far as surgeon generals never being surgeons: Kiley was an ob-gyn.

The term may seem outdated, but there are plenty of other military terms that are hopelessly lost in the past, so good luck tilting at that windmill...

 

[Galo]

If I can remember what Dale Smith taught me.....

It has to do with the historical origins of both the military physician and the field of surgery. Originally, surgeons were NOT doctors, they were true scapel jocks. All they had to do was saw and sew very quickly. Military commanders started taking them along on campaigns (big long evolution of care here) and this was the only medical care provided. The guy in charge of medical care for the battalion was the "battalion surgeon." As science progressed, the surgeons became doctors. Then they figured out that more troops died of other things than battle wounds (see Napoleon's ill fated death march in and out of Russia), so a non-surgeon would be fine being the guy in charge of medical care for the battalion. But he was still called the battalion surgeon (or the brigade surgeon, or the surgeon general) as a title for the position.

These days, the military generally fills these slots with non-surgeons, because a big-picture doc is better suited for the role and the surgeons are needed elsewhere. As far as surgeon generals never being surgeons: Kiley was an ob-gyn.

The term may seem outdated, but there are plenty of other military terms that are hopelessly lost in the past, so good luck tilting at that windmill...

Very nice dissertation. Two or three AF surgeon generals ago, there was a general surgeon that supposedly even operated rarely when he was the commander of Wilford Hall. HE like any good boy/girl, became a yes man when he became surgeon general and did not do squat for the grunts in the field trying to do the work.

 

[deegs]

Very nice dissertation. Two or three AF surgeon generals ago, there was a general surgeon that supposedly even operated rarely when he was the commander of Wilford Hall. HE like any good boy/girl, became a yes man when he became surgeon general and did not do squat for the grunts in the field trying to do the work.

i should add (before someone feels the overwhelming urge to correct me) that the proper plural of surgeon general is "surgeons general" but I could care less. i come across a group of them about as often as I see a gaggle of sergeants major.........

 

[Apollyon]

i should add (before someone feels the overwhelming urge to correct me) that the proper plural of surgeon general is "surgeons general" but I could care less. i come across a group of them about as often as I see a gaggle of sergeants major.........

Or they might themselves in front of courts-martial, and may need attorneys general!

 

[Ex-44E3A]

Right, so it's not like he was a surgeon or anything . . .

Oh no he diiiidn't...