Surgeon's Medical Knowledge

[PreMedDocMD]

Since I am only a pre-med, I don't really know much about medicine. I do know that I think I want to be a surgeon though. But I have one sorta wierd question...how much do surgeons remember about medical things, like diagnosing random diseases and identifying problems outside the realm of their field? For example, people from IM would have a very large spectrum of knowledge to diagnose any sort of problem. But, how much would, lets say an orthopedic surgeon be able to do this?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VCMM414]

Of all the surgical fields, general surgeons (and related fellowships like CT, onc, etc.) retain the broadest knowledge of general medicine. I am sure part of this is because they receive ICU training, and also because they have the broadest scope of practice.

Surgical subspecialties, especially ortho, tend to be much more focused on their own fields. Ortho surgeons tend to give up most of their general medicine knowledge. Personally, I don't really think it makes much of a difference, as long as they can expertly perform diagnostics and procedures that they are expected to.

Having said that, I do think neurosurgeons know a lot of medicine, though admittedly with a neuro slant.

 

[PediBoneDoc]

be nice to your friendly orthopod ... realize there is a party, who gets all the questions about you aching knee? hmmm

that being said, i would like to point out regardless of what area you chose as a specialty IM, Family practice, peds, gen surg, ortho, ENT, plastics, etc ... we all become enguifed in our own area .... i challange you to as a gen surgeon the vacination schedule ....

truth be told ... we all get caught up in our own area's ... ask most IM people about ortho, ent, gen surg ... they have no clue what we do ... most IM can not diagnose everything ... do you thing everyone is like HOUSE?

no surgeon knows a lot about general medicine ... understanding physiology, and taking care of ICU patients or trauma patients ... then gen surgery is your field ....

as an orthopaedic surgeon (pediatric) we tend to understand a little more about diseases that most people never see (skeletal dysplasias, MD, collegen disorders, CP, myelodysplasia, etc.) ... you my myelo and CP patients ... i end up being the only person they see regularly

so, as i pick my knuckles of the ground .... i would say pick the area you enjoy most ... you will practice you own area of medicine and know it well and if you talk to another specialty, you will still sound smart ....

and as much as the CT and neuro surgeons like to be king ... they also truely only know their area as well ... don't let them fool you

 

[Winged Scapula]

General surgeons are probably the best at managing common peri-operative problems, likely because of their ICU experience and less likely to consult these out than some of the other surgical specialties. As noted above, all surgical specialists encounter medical problems common to their patients and it is these that they become comfortable with. Neuro and CT surgeons may be comfortable with critical care, but generally that related to their specialty; as a Chief surgery resident, the CT fellow consulted me on a partial small bowel obstruction...its just not something they deal with often.

As far as diagnosing and treating "random diseases", probably none of us are good at that, unless said "random disease" is common in our field of work. I would be much more comfortable with things like MI, HTN, Diabetes, COPD, etc. than the muscular dystrophies and CPs that Orthopods would be more at ease with.