General surgeon

A general surgeon is a medical specialist who operates mainly on the organs of the abdomen: appendix, gallbladder, abdominal wall hernias, bowel and stomach, and frequently the thyroid or the breast. When the practice focuses on the digestive tract, the same doctor may be called a visceral surgeon or a GI surgeon. For most patients this is simply the surgeon who sees them before an operation and again afterwards. The first consultation is about deciding whether surgery is justified: a physical examination, review of the ultrasound or CT scan, an explanation of the procedure, its alternatives and its risks, then signed informed consent. Follow-up after surgery (wound check, return to eating, suture removal) takes place in the clinic or at the hospital.

• ✓Persistent abdominal pain with a diagnosis already made (gallstones, chronic appendicitis, hernia) and an operation under consideration.
• ✓An inguinal, umbilical or abdominal wall hernia that is growing, interfering with daily life or becoming painful.
• ✓Symptomatic gallstones confirmed on ultrasound, with repeated attacks after meals.
• ✓A breast or thyroid nodule for which a doctor has recommended a surgical opinion or a biopsy.
• ✓A tumour of the colon, stomach or rectum found at endoscopy, to discuss resection.
• ✓A wound, abscess or cyst that needs a procedure under local or general anaesthesia.
• ✓A second opinion before an operation proposed by another practitioner.
• ✓Follow-up after abdominal surgery: wound, pain, return to activity.

In Israel, the title of specialist in general surgery (מומחה בכירורגיה כללית) is a protected title. It requires a physician's licence issued by the Ministry of Health (רישיון לעסוק ברפואה), followed by a residency (התמחות) of roughly six years in an accredited department, two specialty examinations (שלב א' and שלב ב') run by the Scientific Council of the Israel Medical Association (המועצה המדעית של ההסתדרות הרפואית), and finally the specialist certificate (תעודת מומחה) issued by the Ministry. All of this can be checked free of charge in the Ministry of Health's public registry of medical professions (מאגר בעלי מקצועות רפואיים) by searching the doctor's name: the licence number and the recognised specialty appear there. A doctor trained abroad (France, Russia, the United States and so on) must pass the Israeli licensing examination unless exempt on the basis of years of practice, and must have the specialty recognised by the Scientific Council, which may require a supplementary period in an Israeli department. Compared with the UK or France, where the qualification is in general or in visceral and digestive surgery, Israeli general surgery covers a wider field (breast, thyroid, abdominal trauma). One point patients often miss: operating requires privileges at a hospital. A private consultation in a clinic does not mean the surgeon operates on site. Ask where the operation will take place and whether it is covered by your health fund (קופת חולים) or supplementary insurance.