Surgical Medical Team

General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs such as the stomach, colon, liver, gallbladder, intestines and other organs of the body.

An American Board Certified Surgeon has specific training, knowledge and experience to diagnosis and provide comprehensive care, which includes preoperative, operative and postoperative care.

General surgeons are also trained in minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery, ultrasonography and endoscopy — surgical techniques that employ videoscopic instruments to examine or treat internal organs, which are commonly used in surgical management. Many of the surgeons at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation focus their practice around certain areas of care such as:

• Digestive tract – esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus
  
• Abdomen – stomach, diaphragm, biliary tract, liver, pancreas, spleen and all types of hernias
  
• Breast – all types of benign and malignant disease
  
• Skin and underlying tissues – all types of benign and malignant disease
  
• Endocrine (hormones) system – thyroid and parathyroid glands, pancreas and adrenal glands
  
• Head and neck surgery – endocrine, benign and malignant disorders, birth defects
  
• Surgical oncology – surgical management of cancer treatment and coordination of all aspects of cancer care
  
• Vascular surgery – vascular surgery emergencies, vascular access surgery for kidney dialysis patients, and other procedures involving arteries and veins

Doctors who are board certified by the American Board of Surgery have met certain standards of education, training and knowledge in the field of surgery. To become board certified, a surgeon is required to complete college and medical school, followed by several years of specialty training in a general surgery residency program. A surgeon can then apply for certification in general surgery. A doctor can also obtain certification in additional subspecialty areas of surgery.

Several PAMF surgeons have specialty certifications in vascular, thoracic, cancer and bariatric (weight loss) surgery.

View a list of general surgeons at PAMF.