With seven clinical specialties, more than $8 million in annual external research funding, and a No. 1-ranked residency training program among public institutions, the U-M Medical School Section of General Surgery is proud to provide the best health care, biomedical research and medical education.
The Division of Acute Care Surgery provides care for major trauma and burn patients, as well as the management of emergency surgery and critical care services. The University of Michigan is a Level 1 Trauma and Burn Verified Center, recognized by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association as meeting or exceeding the highest standards of care for the most critically injured patients.
Acute Care Surgery also provides care for patients in the surgical intensive care unit, and coordinates with U-M’s Survival Flight aeromedical team to bring critically injured patients advanced care in the air.
The Division of Colorectal Surgery treats benign and malignant conditions of the small bowel, colon, rectum and anus, using both open and laparoscopic surgical techniques. We provide multidisciplinary care through the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Michigan Bowel Control Program. Our goal is to provide individualized care for each patient, including the education and support they need to heal over time.
Established in 1979, we’ve grown to become one of the largest endocrine surgery divisions in the country. We provide medical and surgical care for patients with thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal endocrine disorders. We’re dedicated to advancing the art and science of endocrine surgery through innovative lab and clinic research, and our surgeons are actively involved in studies of thyroid cancer, hyperparathyroidism, adrenal cancer and drug development for cancer.
Surgeons in the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery focus on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the abdomen, the abdominal wall and the retroperitoneum — including common conditions such as hernia, gallstones, and heartburn. Our surgeons have special expertise in hernia treatment, including abdominal wall reconstruction and complex recurrent hernia. We also have a nationally recognized bariatric surgery program, and our surgeons focus on innovating bariatric surgery outcomes and quality.
We provide operative care for cancers of the breast, skin, and gastrointestinal system. We have special expertise in the management of patients with breast cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, metastatic diseases of the liver, and soft tissue sarcomas. Through our biomedical research, we’re developing new immunotherapies to treat tumors, using our research to improve clinical care for patients.
Our VA Division is rare in that we focus exclusively on veterans’ care, building relationships and programs tailored to their needs. VA surgeons provide bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, and general surgical services, including treatment for gallbladder disorders, hernias, and hemorrhoids.
Our approach to patient care is built on a model of coordination across multiple specialties, providing patients with a comprehensive experience that coalesces the best medical advice from a team of experts. The Section of General Surgery offers a rare depth of experience across six surgical specialties.
We’re committed to educating the profession’s future surgical leaders, beginning with medical student education and extending to advanced fellowship programs. Michigan General Surgery is home to a highly ranked general surgery residency, as well as competitive fellowships in surgical critical care, endocrine surgery, minimally invasive surgery, acute care surgery and surgical breast care.
The research program at the Section of General Surgery is striking for its creativity and breadth, covering basic research to clinical trials. Current efforts include: enhancing quality of life and preventing injury through education at the nationally recognized Trauma Burn Center; developing new immunotherapies for cancer treatment; personalizing health care through novel use of CT scans to assess surgical outcomes, and a new field we call morphomic analysis.
Share what you’ve learned and renew your ties to the Section of General Surgery by keeping in touch with your former teachers and old friends through the alumni network at the Department of Surgery.
Societies, Annual Meetings & Events
- American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress: Join us for alumni gatherings at this annual meeting.
- Coller Surgical Society: We host alumni gatherings at the Coller Society's annual meeting, where alumni can also become society members.
The Michigan Promise aims to empower faculty members and residents in the Department of Surgery to achieve professional success. We support initiatives connected to environment, recruitment, leadership, achievement, innovation and outreach.
- For our clinic information, specialty clinics, procedure information and more, please visit the General Surgery section on UofMHealth.org.
- Michigan Medicine Patient and Visitor Guide
