At Tampa General Hospital, Acute Care Surgery represents the highest level of surgical readiness, expertise and academic leadership in the region. As the only Level I Trauma Center in Tampa Bay, TGH partners with USF Health to deliver comprehensive, around-the-clock care for trauma, emergency general surgery (EGS), surgical critical care and other complex surgical services.
Recognized as one of the Nation’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and ranked the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay, Tampa General serves as a premier destination for complex, high-acuity surgical care. The Acute Care Surgery program plays a central role in providing lifesaving interventions for the region’s most critically ill and injured patients, while also serving as a trusted referral center for hospitals across Florida.
We are proud to lead Florida’s first American College of Surgeons (ACS) Level I-verified trauma program for both adults and children, and first Emergency General Surgery Verified center in Florida. With in-house surgical teams available 24/7, a dedicated Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU) and close integration with emergency medicine and specialty services, our model ensures seamless, rapid and coordinated care when every second matters.
Our Mission & Vision
The Acute Care Surgery program at TGH is built on a commitment to deliver exceptional, evidence-driven care to patients facing life-threatening illness and injury. We strive to create a highly reliable system where clinical excellence, rapid response and compassionate service come together seamlessly, ensuring every patient receives the right care at the right time.
As one of the nation’s leading academic health systems, our responsibility extends beyond today’s patients. We are dedicated to training and mentoring the next generation of surgeons and critical care specialists, advancing research and continuously refining the standards of acute surgical care. Through innovation, collaboration and rigorous performance improvement, we aim not only to meet national benchmarks—but to help define them.
Our vision is to be the region’s most trusted destination for acute care surgery, recognized for integrated expertise, surgical leadership and an unwavering commitment to those we serve.
Our Leadership Team
Comprehensive Acute Care Surgery Services
Acute Care Surgery integrates trauma care, emergency surgery and surgical critical care into a coordinated, around-the-clock model. Explore the specialized programs, clinical capabilities and academic initiatives that support rapid intervention, continuity of care and advanced treatment for patients with complex and life-threatening surgical conditions.
Trauma Services
TGH’s Wallace Trauma Center provides comprehensive adult, pediatric and specialty trauma services. As the only Level I Trauma Center in Tampa Bay—and Florida’s first ACS-verified Level I trauma program for both adults and children—Tampa General delivers the highest standard of trauma care.
Dedicated trauma surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensivists and multidisciplinary specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a trauma surgeon attending on the case within 15 minutes of patient arrival for highest level activations. Our teams are equipped to manage the most severe blunt and penetrating injuries, complex multisystem trauma and life-threatening emergencies requiring immediate surgical intervention.
Pediatric trauma care is fully integrated, ensuring young patients receive age-appropriate, specialized treatment supported by academic expertise and advanced resources.
Brain And Spinal Cord Injury Center Of Excellence
Designated by the Florida Department of Health, this distinction applies to both the Emergency Services Institute and Acute Care Surgery, supporting comprehensive care for patients with complex neurologic injuries.
Emergency General Surgery (EGS)
Tampa General Hospital is Florida’s first—and one of only 11 hospitals nationwide—verified by the American College of Surgeons for Emergency General Surgery.
This distinction recognizes our ability to deliver rapid, standardized, high-quality surgical care for life-threatening, non-trauma emergencies. From perforated ulcers and bowel obstructions to ruptured appendices and complex intra-abdominal catastrophes, our EGS team is in-house and ready 24/7. Verification reflects our commitment to evidence-based protocols, performance improvement, research and coordinated multidisciplinary care.
Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU)
The Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU) is an 18-bed high-acuity unit paired with a 9-bed Surgical Step-Down Unit (SSDU). It provides specialized critical care for trauma and EGS patients, while also supporting complex post-surgical cases across services including transplant, oncology, vascular surgery, orthopedics, OB/GYN, ENT, urology and plastic surgery.
The STICU was the first in Florida to earn a national Beacon Award for Excellence, underscoring its leadership in multidisciplinary surgical critical care.
Clinics
Acute Care Surgery clinics ensure continuity beyond hospitalization. In partnership with USF Health and community-based locations, the division operates multiple weekly clinics to provide follow-up care, monitor recovery and coordinate ongoing treatment plans. This integrated model supports safer transitions from hospital to home and reinforces long-term patient outcomes.
Surgical Rescue
Surgical Rescue provides 24/7 emergency surgical support throughout Tampa General. When unexpected operative and postoperative crises occur—such as hemorrhage, organ injury, sepsis or wound complications—our acute care surgeons are immediately available to assist.
The team also accepts urgent referrals from outside hospitals when advanced surgical expertise or higher-level resources are required, further reinforcing Tampa General’s role as a regional safety net for complex surgical emergencies.
Mission Zero Federal Grant
Tampa General Hospital is one of fewer than 20 trauma centers nationwide selected to participate in Mission Zero, a federal program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen national medical readiness. Through this grant, active-duty Air Force trauma surgeons from MacDill Air Force Base are fully integrated into Tampa General’s Trauma and Acute Care Surgery teams. These military surgeons bring experience from combat and austere environments, enhancing civilian trauma care while training alongside academic faculty and educating future surgeons. This unique military–civilian partnership underscores Tampa General’s leadership in preparedness, innovation and academic collaboration.
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship reflects Tampa General’s deep commitment to academic medicine and surgical excellence. The program trains future leaders in trauma and critical care, integrating hands-on clinical experience with research, quality improvement and education.
Currently expanding from a one-year to a two-year training program, the fellowship enhances advanced specialization and strengthens the division’s ability to deliver cutting-edge, evidence-based care. Faculty actively educate more than 40 surgery residents, four trauma surgery fellows and USF medical students each year, ensuring the next generation of surgeons is prepared to meet the evolving demands of acute care surgery.
