Surgeons

Treat diseases, injuries, and deformities by invasive methods, such as manual manipulation or by using instruments and appliances.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Conduct research to develop and test surgical techniques that can improve operating procedures and outcomes.

• Manage surgery services, including planning, scheduling and coordination, determination of procedures, and procurement of supplies and equipment.

• Prepare case histories.

• Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.

• Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioners when necessary.

• Provide consultation and surgical assistance to other physicians and surgeons.

• Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, assistants, specialists, residents and other medical staff.

• Diagnose bodily disorders and orthopedic conditions and provide treatments, such as medicines and surgeries, in clinics, hospital wards, and operating rooms.

• Examine patient to provide information on medical condition and surgical risk.

• Prescribe preoperative and postoperative treatments and procedures, such as sedatives, diets, antibiotics, and preparation and treatment of the patient's operative area.

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Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

• Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

• Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

• Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

• Examples: These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Svp range: (8.0 and above)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• Medicine and Dentistry
  Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Psychology
  Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

• Therapy and Counseling
  Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

• Chemistry
  Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

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Skills

Browse Skills

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Critical Thinking
  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Active Listening
  Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Judgment and Decision Making
  Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

• Complex Problem Solving
  Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

• Instructing
  Teaching others how to do something.

• Monitoring
  Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

• Learning Strategies
  Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

• Science
  Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Problem Sensitivity
  The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

• Manual Dexterity
  The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

• Oral Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• Deductive Reasoning
  The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

• Finger Dexterity
  The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

• Near Vision
  The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

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Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others
  Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

• Getting Information
  Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Processing Information
  Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

• Analyzing Data or Information
  Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

• Documenting/Recording Information
  Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

• Handling and Moving Objects
  Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

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Work Context

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Freedom to Make Decisions
  How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
  How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Frequency of Decision Making
  How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

• Consequence of Error
  How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?

• Physical Proximity
  To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?

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Interests

Browse Interests

• Investigative
  Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Realistic
  Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

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Work Styles

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Concern for Others
  Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

• Stress Tolerance
  Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

• Achievement/Effort
  Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

• Initiative
  Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

• Analytical Thinking
  Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

• Self Control
  Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

• Persistence
  Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Achievement-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

• Ability Utilization
  Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

• Achievement
  Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

• Social Status
  Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.

• Social Service
  Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.

• Recognition
  Workers on this job receive recognition for the work they do.

• Responsibility
  Workers on this job make decisions on their own.

• Compensation
  Workers on this job are paid well in comparison with other workers.

• Security
  Workers on this job have steady employment.

• Autonomy
  Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

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