What is "surgeon general"

Surgeon \Sur"geon\, n. [OE. surgien, OF. surgien, contr. fr. chirurgien. See Chirurgeon.]

1. One whose profession or occupation is to cure diseases or injuries of the body by manual operation; one whose occupation is to cure local injuries or disorders (such as wounds, dislocations, tumors, etc.), whether by manual operation, or by medication and constitutional treatment.

2. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of ch[ae]todont fishes of the family Teuthid[ae], or Acanthurid[ae], which have one or two sharp lancelike spines on each side of the base of the tail. Called also surgeon fish, doctor fish, lancet fish, and sea surgeon. Surgeon apothecary, one who unites the practice of surgery with that of the apothecary. --Dunglison. Surgeon dentist, a dental surgeon; a dentist. Surgeon fish. See def. 2, above. Surgeon general.

   1. In the United States army, the chief of the medical department.

   2. In the British army, a surgeon ranking next below the chief of the medical department.

n. (alternative form of Surgeon General English)

Surgeon general is a title used in the United States and several Commonwealth countries to refer either to a senior military medical officer or to a senior uniformed physician commissioned by the government and entrusted with public health responsibilities. The title originated in the 17th century, as military units acquired their own physicians.

In the United Kingdom, the Surgeon-General is the head of the military medical services. The post is held by the senior of the three individual service medical directors and carries the rank of vice admiral, lieutenant general, or air marshal.

In the United States, the chief public health officer is the Surgeon General of the United States and many states have their own state surgeons general. Moreover, three of the U.S. military services have their own surgeon general, namely the Surgeon General of the United States Army, Surgeon General of the United States Navy, and Surgeon General of the United States Air Force.

The Surgeon General is the professional head of the Canadian military health jurisdiction, the adviser to the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff on all matters related to health, and head of the Royal Canadian Medical Service. The Surgeon General is also the Commander of Canadian Forces Health Services Group, which fulfils all military health system functions from education and clinical services to research and public health. It consists of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps, personnel from other branches of the armed forces, and civilians, with health professionals from over 45 occupations and specialties in over 125 units and detachments across Canada and abroad. As Director General Health Services, the Surgeon General is also the senior health services staff officer in the Department of National Defence. The Surgeon General is normally the only Canadian appointed to the Medical Household as Honorary Physician (QHP) or Honorary Surgeon (QHS) to Her Majesty the Queen.