An acute care surgeon is a doctor who is trained in the duties of general surgery and works in an emergency surgery department, trauma care unit, or a surgical critical care unit. As an acute care surgeon, you are typically the first surgeon to handle a patient who needs critical care. Your responsibilities are often to stabilize a patient and address the immediate emergency trauma, such as severe burns, impact trauma, or emergency abdominal issues. You work directly with other surgical specialists at your hospital and consult on the care of your patients.