Surgeons
On the Job
Surgeons are doctors who treat diseases, injuries, and deformities through surgical procedures. The procedures may be invasive, minimally-invasive, or non-invasive. This career does not include surgeons who operate on the face or jaw (see Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons).
Physical Demands 
This career requires good eyesight and time standing, walking, or running.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Assist healthcare practitioners during surgery.
- Operate on patients to treat conditions.
- Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
- Diagnose medical conditions.
- Record patient medical histories.
- Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
- Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
- Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
- Follow protocols or regulations for healthcare activities.
- Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
Typical Working Conditions
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Close physical proximity with other people.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Working with a group or team.
- Exposure to disease or infections.
- Responsibility for outcomes and results.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- High levels of competition.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Being in situations in which conflicts arise.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
