31101 Specialists in surgery

What this occupation covers

Specialists in surgery perform and supervise surgical procedures. Specialists in surgery usually work in hospitals. Residents in training to become specialists in surgery are included in this unit group.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 7 main duties for this code.

• Treat diseases, injuries, and deformities by invasive, minimally-invasive, or non-invasive surgical methods, such as using instruments, appliances, or by manual manipulation.
• Provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases of women, particularly those affecting the reproductive system. May also provide general medical care to women. May perform both medical and gynecological surgery functions.
• Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries of the eyes and related structures.
• Diagnose, treat, and help prevent benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and the renal glands.
• Assess patients' diseases or disorders to determine appropriate surgical procedures.
• Perform and supervise surgical procedures to correct physical abnormalities and deficiencies and repair injuries.
• Act as consultants to other physicians.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 7 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 31201 Chiropractors
• 31110 Dentists
• 31102 General practitioners and family physicians
• 21110 Biologists and related scientists
• 30010 Managers in health care
• 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
• 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
• 31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

Excluded from this code

• Chiropractors (See 31201 Chiropractors)
• Dental surgeon (See 31110 Dentists)
• General practitioners and family physicians (See 31102 General practitioners and family physicians)
• Immunologist (See 21110 Biologists and related scientists)
• Managers in health care (See 30010 Managers in health care)
• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (See 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating)
• Physicians assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (See 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals)
• Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (See 31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

cardiac surgeon · cardiothoracic surgeon · cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon · cardiovascular and thoracic surgery specialist · cardiovascular surgeon · cosmetic surgeon · ear specialist · esthetic surgeon · eye specialist · general surgeon · general surgeon - Canadian Armed Forces · gynecologist · laryngologist · neurological surgeon · neurosurgeon · nose specialist · obstetrician · obstetrician-gynecologist · ophthalmologist · orthopedic surgeon · orthopedics specialist · orthopedist · otolaryngologist · otologist

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree or in Quebec, completion of a college program and one year of pre-medicine university studies is usually required.
• Graduation from an approved medical school and specific specialty training are required.
• Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
• Five to six years of specialty residency training are required.
• Two years of subspecialty training may also be required.