Surgical specialty concerned with the surgical treatment of the whole patient and the broad range of surgical diseases that may afflict them. The specialty covers a wide range of diseases involving many body systems including those related to the breast, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, vascular, anorectal, skin and melanoma, oncologic/cancer surgery, hernia, trauma and critical care. General surgeons typically spend 4 years in medical school after college followed by 5 years of grueling, demanding specialty training including one year of internship and one year as chief resident.