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. Georgia has 913 practicing general surgeons. Broken out by city, general surgery doctor density in Adel is 2, in Albany is 18, in Alma is 2, in Alpharetta is 18, in Americus is 2, in Atlanta is 255, in Austell is 19, in Bainbridge is 2, in Blue Ridge is 2, in Bremen is 6, in Brunswick is 11, in Buford is 2, in Cairo is 5, in Calhoun is 3, in Canton is 6, in Carrollton is 7, in Cartersville is 9, in Chamblee is 1, in Clayton is 1, in Commerce is 1, in Conyers is 8, in Cordele is 4, in Covington is 6, in Cumming is 10, in Cuthbert is 1, in Dahlonega is 6, in Dallas is 2, in Dalton is 10, in Dawsonville is 3, in Decatur is 36, in Douglas is 3, in Douglasville is 8, in Dublin is 10, in Duluth is 13, in East Point is 12, in Eastman is 2, in Eatonton is 1, in Elberton is 1, in Ellijay is 1, in Fayetteville is 15, in Fort Oglethorpe is 5, in Fort Valley is 1, in Gainesville is 21, in Garden City is 1, in Greensboro is 6, in Griffin is 11, in Hartwell is 2, in Hinesville is 2, in Jasper is 3, in Jesup is 2, in Jonesboro is 4, in Kingsland is 1, in Lagrange is 6, in Lawrenceville is 18, in Lilburn is 1, in Lithonia is 5, in Louisville is 1, in Macon is 51, in Marietta is 31, in Mcdonough is 1, in Metter is 1, in Milledgeville is 8, in Monroe is 3, in Morrow is 8, in Moultrie is 4, in Nashville is 2, in Newnan is 11, in Norcross is 3, in Peachtree City is 3, in Perry is 1, in Richmond Hill is 1, in Rincon is 3, in Riverdale is 9, in Rome is 13, in Roswell is 7, in Sandersville is 1, in Savannah is 56, in Smyrna is 3, in Snellville is 9, in Springfield is 1, in Statesboro is 8, in Stockbridge is 11, in Stone Mountain is 1, in Suwanee is 4, in Swainsboro is 2, in Sylvester is 1, in Talbotton is 2, in Thomaston is 6, in Thomasville is 6, in Thomson is 1, in Tifton is 4, in Toccoa is 3, in Valdosta is 10, in Vidalia is 5, in Villa Rica is 5, in Warner Robins is 6, in Waycross is 4, in Waynesboro is 2, in Winder is 3, and in Woodstock is 4.

Georgia is rich in history, from its statehood in 1788, to its tobacco plantations, to its civil rights memorials. Atlanta is its vibrant capital city, and it offers a myriad of music, arts, sports and nightlife. While in Atlanta, visit the world’s largest aquarium, the Woodruff Arts Center, or the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Ride the Old Town Trolley in Savannah, and listen to some live jazz and blues at one of Savannah’s many festivals. Georgia’s mountain parks offer hiking, biking, climbing, and other outdoor activities. On Georgia’s coastline, you can go boating, deep sea fishing or kayaking in the Atlantic. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge draws many visitors yearly.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Georgia has a population of 9,072,576. Of this population, 2,319,806 are under the age of 18 and 865,997 are at or above the age of 65.