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OSCA occupation
264631

264631 General Surgeon

Performs surgery to treat diseases and illnesses covering a broad range of medical conditions.

Major group
2 Professionals
Unit group
2646 Surgeons
Edition
OSCA 2024
Skill level
Level 1

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

Role overview

Performs surgery to treat diseases and illnesses covering a broad range of medical conditions.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level
1
Major group
2 Professionals
Sub-major group
26 Health Professionals
Minor group
264 Medical Practitioners
Unit group
2646 Surgeons

Tasks

  • Consults with patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories
  • Examines and evaluates patients to determine if surgical treatment of illnesses, conditions and injuries are required, and explains risks to patients
  • Requests laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures, and interprets findings
  • Performs surgery and procedures in operating theatres and treatment rooms
  • Prescribes post-operative care and observes patient progress
  • Provides specialist advice to generalist Medical Practitioners or other specialists
  • Prescribes medication and recommends preventative action to treat illness or injuries
  • Maintains patient records

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 264631 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison pointCurrent code264631 General Surgeon264632 Cardiothoracic Surgeon264633 Neurosurgeon
Official role definitionPerforms surgery to treat diseases and illnesses covering a broad range of medical conditions.Performs heart and lung surgery.Performs surgery to correct disorders of the brain, spine and nervous system.
Skill levelSkill Level 1Skill Level 1Skill Level 1
Key tasks
  • Consults with patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories
  • Examines and evaluates patients to determine if surgical treatment of illnesses, conditions and injuries are required, and explains risks to patients
  • Requests laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures, and interprets findings
  • Performs surgery and procedures in operating theatres and treatment rooms
  • Assesses patients' medical conditions and determines the need for cardiothoracic surgery
  • Utilises diagnostic tools such as imaging tests, electrocardiograms and blood tests to assess patients' conditions and determine appropriate treatment plans
  • Performs surgical procedures on the heart and lungs, including bypass surgery, valve repair or replacement, and oesophagus, trachea and lung transplantation
  • Advises and counsels patients and families about patients' conditions, treatment options and recovery
  • Assesses patients' medical history and performs physical examinations to diagnose neurological disorders
  • Performs surgical procedures such as brain surgery and spinal surgery to correct neurological disorders
  • Prescribes treatments and medications following diagnosis of neurological diseases, illness or injuries
  • Collaborates with other medical professionals such as Neurologists, therapists and rehabilitation experts

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

Official source

Official source
ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed
2026-04-17

This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.

Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.

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