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. Iowa has 351 practicing general surgeons. Broken out by city, general surgery doctor density in Albia is 3, in Algona is 1, in Ames is 6, in Ankeny is 1, in Atlantic is 5, in Audubon is 1, in Belmond is 1, in Bettendorf is 5, in Boone is 4, in Burlington is 1, in Carroll is 6, in Cedar Falls is 6, in Cedar Rapids is 10, in Centerville is 2, in Chariton is 1, in Charles City is 2, in Charter Oak is 1, in Cherokee is 2, in Clarinda is 3, in Clarion is 1, in Clinton is 5, in Clive is 6, in Council Bluffs is 11, in Cresco is 2, in Creston is 5, in Davenport is 16, in De Witt is 8, in Decorah is 5, in Denison is 2, in Des Moines is 72, in Dubuque is 11, in Dyersville is 1, in Elkader is 1, in Elma is 2, in Fairfield is 4, in Fort Dodge is 6, in Fort Madison is 2, in Grinnell is 5, in Grundy Center is 1, in Guttenberg is 1, in Hamburg is 2, in Hampton is 1, in Harlan is 2, in Hiawatha is 1, in Humboldt is 1, in Independence is 2, in Iowa City is 65, in Iowa Falls is 1, in Jefferson is 1, in Johnston is 2, in Keokuk is 1, in Keosauqua is 1, in Knoxville is 1, in Lake City is 3, in Le Mars is 2, in Leon is 1, in Lime Springs is 2, in Manchester is 2, in Manilla is 1, in Manning is 3, in Mapleton is 1, in Maquoketa is 1, in Mason City is 8, in Missouri Valley is 4, in Mount Pleasant is 3, in Muscatine is 4, in Nevada is 2, in New Hampton is 1, in Newton is 3, in Oelwein is 1, in Okoboji is 1, in Orange City is 3, in Osage is 1, in Oskaloosa is 3, in Ottumwa is 5, in Pella is 2, in Perry is 2, in Red Oak is 2, in Rock Rapids is 1, in Rock Valley is 1, in Sheldon is 3, in Shenandoah is 2, in Sigourney is 1, in Sioux City is 9, in Spencer is 7, in Spirit Lake is 1, in Storm Lake is 2, in Sumner is 3, in Swea City is 1, in Titonka is 1, in Vinton is 1, in Washington is 1, in Waterloo is 14, in Waukee is 3, in Waukon is 3, in Waverly is 3, in Webster City is 5, in West Burlington is 4, in West Des Moines is 15, and in Windsor Heights is 3.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.