General surgery can be performed on almost any area of the body. A general surgeon is a physician who performs surgery and provides preoperative, operative, and postoperative care to surgical patients. This surgeon can treat diseases, injuries or deformities by surgery or minimally invasive techniques, such as endoscopy, where a tiny scope is used to view internal organs or structures. The endoscope can be used during operating procedures, or before surgery, to diagnose, assess and treat problem areas.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are breast disease, thyroid disorders, hernia, breast cancer, Crohn's Disease, cystic fibrosis, Cirrhosis, Hepatitis, lymphoma, Chronic renal failure, Morbid obesity, Adhesions, Colorectal cancer, Hirschsprung's disease, Volvulus, Thyroid cancer, Kidney cancer, Metastatic disease, Toxic megacolon, and Meckel's diverticulum.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including microsurgery, mastectomy, laser surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, breast reconstruction, breast surgery, thyroid surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, da Vinci Surgical System, Bypass Surgery, robotic surgery, Resection, Liver transplant, Whipple procedure, Kidney transplant, Bariatric surgery, Appendectomy, Cholecystectomy, cryosurgery, and abdominal surgery.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including endoscopy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), x-ray, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), biopsy, Cardiac Stress Test, Lower GI (Barium Enema), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), and fecal occult bloodtest.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Arkansas has 233 practicing general surgeons. Broken out by city, general surgery doctor density in Arkadelphia is 1, in Ashdown is 1, in Batesville is 4, in Benton is 3, in Bentonville is 13, in Berryville is 5, in Blytheville is 2, in Booneville is 2, in Bryant is 1, in Calico Rock is 1, in Camden is 4, in Cammack Village is 1, in Clarksville is 2, in Clinton is 1, in Conway is 3, in Crossett is 1, in Danville is 1, in De Queen is 2, in Dumas is 1, in El Dorado is 5, in Fayetteville is 15, in Fordyce is 1, in Forrest City is 1, in Fort Smith is 16, in Gravette is 7, in Harrison is 4, in Heber Springs is 1, in Helena is 3, in Holiday Island is 1, in Hope is 2, in Horseshoe Bend is 1, in Hot Springs is 11, in Hot Springs National Park is 7, in Jacksonville is 5, in Jonesboro is 13, in Lake Village is 2, in Little Rock is 60, in Lowell is 1, in Magnolia is 1, in Mcgehee is 1, in Melbourne is 1, in Mena is 3, in Monticello is 1, in Mountain Home is 6, in Nashville is 1, in Newport is 4, in North Little Rock is 7, in Osceola is 1, in Ozark is 2, in Paragould is 3, in Paris is 2, in Pine Bluff is 10, in Rogers is 7, in Russellville is 4, in Searcy is 9, in Siloam Springs is 5, in Springdale is 12, in Stuttgart is 1, in Texarkana is 1, in Van Buren is 2, in Waldron is 1, in Walnut Ridge is 1, in West Memphis is 4, and in White Hall is 1.

Arkansas is home to many lakes and rivers for those interested in fishing and water sports. Cruise up the Arkansas River, fish in the White River of the Ozark Mountains, or drive the Great River Road along the Mississippi River Delta. Tour Arkansas wine country in the Altus area, step inside a log cabin from the 1800s in southern Arkansas, or hike nature trails in Hot Springs National Park. Arkansas’ population is 2,779,154. Little Rock is Arkansas’ capital city, and has numerous restaurants, museums, golfing, and an extensive park system. Visit the monument that marks the initial point for surveys of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Arkansas has a population of 2,779,154. Of this population, 662,920 are under the age of 18 and 381,547 are at or above the age of 65.