General surgery is a surgical speciality that focuses on the gastrointestinal tracts(GIT) and abdominal contents, including the oesophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix, bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland.

General surgery has a central core of knowledge embracing anatomy, physiology, metabolism, immunology, nutrition, pathology, wound healing, shock and resuscitation, intensive care, and neoplasia.