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The Subspecialization of Surgery: A Paradigm Shift

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

General surgery has become increasingly fragmented into subspecialties and diseases previously treated by general surgeons are now managed by “specialists”. The Resident Education Committee of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) has reviewed the history of surgical training and factors that have contributed to this evolution to subsepcialization. As it is unlikely that this paradigm shift is reversible, a clear understanding of the contributing factors is essential. Herein, we present a timeline and taxonomy of forces in this evolution to subspecialization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) and the members of the Resident Education Committee.

SSAT Resident Education Committee Members (2012–2013)

Adam Berger, MD, Stephen Bruns, MD, Michael Calahane, MD, Brian Davis, MD, Aram Demirjian, MD, Sabha Ganai, MD, PhD, Denise Gee, MD, Michael House, MD, Stephen Kavic, MD, Minh Luu, MD, Kenric Murayama, MD, William Richardson, MD, Reza Saidi, MD, Bhavin Shah, MD, Sanda Tan, MD, PhD, Charles Vollmer, MD, Huan Vu, MD.

SSAT Resident Education Committee Members (2013–2014)

Sergio Bardaro, MD, Adam Berger, MD, Stephen Bruns, MD, Sebastiano Cassaro, MD, Brian Davis, MD, Aram Demirjian, MD, Sabha Ganai, MD, PhD, Jayleen Grams, MD, Michael House, MD, Daniel Joyce, MD, Amin Madani, MD, BSc, Kenric Murayama, MD, Stephen McNatt, MD, William Richardson, MD, Reza Saidi, MD, Bhavin Shah, MD, Paritosh Suman, MD, Sanda Tan, MD, PhD, Ezra Teitelbaum, MD, Michael Ujiki, MD, Jose Velasco, MD, Charles Vollmer, Jr, MD, Huan Vu, MD, Rasa Zarnegar, MD.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA

    Stephen D. Bruns

  2. Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX, USA

    Brian R. Davis

  3. University of California-Irvine, Orange, CA, USA

    Aram N. Demirjian

  4. Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL, USA

    Sabha Ganai

  5. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Michael G. House

  6. University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Reza F. Saidi

  7. University of Nebraska School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA

    Bhavin C. Shah

  8. University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Sanda A. Tan

  9. Department of Surgery, Abington Memorial Hospital, 1245 Highland Road, Suite 604, Abington, PA, 19001, USA

    Kenric M. Murayama

Authors
  1. Stephen D. Bruns
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  2. Brian R. Davis
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  3. Aram N. Demirjian
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  4. Sabha Ganai
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  7. Bhavin C. Shah
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  9. Kenric M. Murayama
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Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Resident Education Committee

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenric M. Murayama.

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Bruns, S.D., Davis, B.R., Demirjian, A.N. et al. The Subspecialization of Surgery: A Paradigm Shift. J Gastrointest Surg 18, 1523–1531 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-014-2514-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-014-2514-4

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