Physicians specializing in surgery can choose to become general surgeons or pursue a subspecialty in a specific area of the body, type of patient, or type of surgery. General surgeons provide a wide variety of life-saving surgeries, such as appendectomies and splenectomies. They receive broad training on human anatomy, physiology, intensive care, and wound healing.

The Association of American Medical Colleges and American College of Surgeons outline a number of surgical subspecialties and areas of practice, including the following:

Colon and rectal surgery
General surgery
- Surgical critical care
Gynecologic oncology
Plastic surgery
- Craniofacial surgery
- Hand surgery
Neurological surgery
- Endovascular surgical neuroradiology
Ophthalmic surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Orthopaedic surgery
- Adult reconstructive orthopaedics
- Foot and ankle orthopaedics
- Musculoskeletal oncology
- Orthopaedic sports medicine
- Orthopaedic surgery of the spine
- Orthopaedic trauma
- Pediatric orthopaedics
Otolaryngology
- Pediatric otolaryngology
Otology neurotology
Pediatric surgery
- Neonatal
- Prenatal
- Trauma
- Pediatric oncology
Surgical Intensivists, specializing in critical care patients
Thoracic Surgery
- Congenital cardiac surgery
- Thoracic surgery-integrated
Vascular surgery