General Surgery: Requirements, Rationale, and Robust Results

Safe, timely, and affordable surgical care is desirable worldwide, but is largely an unmet need. Surgical care is recognized as an important component of public health. Vision for sustainable surgical development is desirable, and general surgeons can contribute substantially toward this mission. In the absence of surgical care, case-fatality rates are high for common and easily treatable conditions. These include congenital anomalies, hernia, fractures, appendicitis, etc. Solution is surgical care. Results of surgery on time are rewarding. General surgeons, as per the Medical Council of India, are required to (1) recognize the health needs of the community and carry out professional obligations, (2) be competent, and (3) be aware of the contemporary advances and developments in the discipline concerned. All this ensures that the general surgeon should be able to treat almost all surgical conditions effectively. With timely, cautious, careful, and tactful surgeries, general surgeons should be able to deliver robust results both electively and in emergency. All this in the true spirit of “Vayam Sevaamahe – We are for service” the motto of the Association of Surgeons of India. General surgeons should boost the best what was termed “Professional patriotism” in the historic Flexner report.