小儿外科的工作范围包括从出生到18岁所有的外科问题，外科疾病的预防和治疗，以及有关的医学教育，医学基础研究。小儿外科疾病归纳主要是先天性畸形，实体肿瘤，炎症和创伤四大类。因小儿处于迅速发展变化的年龄段，现代小儿外科学已把胎儿外科、新生儿期外科、一般小儿外科和近期提出青春期的各种外科疾病也列入其中。随着学科发展，各亚专业除了普外科、新生儿外科外，还有骨科、神经外科、心胸外科、泌尿外科、微创外科、创伤外科和整形外科等。作为研究生儿科英文课程体系建设课程，小儿外科学着重介绍儿外科专业基本理论和基础研究的新技术、新知识、新进展，以及与临床密切相关的科研成果；以各专业疾病的专题形式介绍新理论和诊断治疗新方法。 针对临床医学儿科研究生的培养要求，为提高学生的科研课题设计和实施技能，课程还重点突出讲解上述疾病的处理难点和当前未取得一致的问题，以及今后发展的方向。

The discipline of pediatric surgery around the world is mature at this point and as sophisticated as any medical field. It has become a science-based enterprise in a high-technology environment. In the developed world, children with surgical problems have never been as fortunate as now. Pediatric surgery has truly become internationalized, with various countries developing national societies and striving to improve the surgical care of infants and children. The availability of the Internet to rapidly disseminate information has provided a method to share knowledge and information regarding patient care. The establishment of English-language based subject of pediatric surgery aims to introduce the basic science and very advanced technology being developed in pediatric surgery recently. Moreover, controversial will be emphasized throughout the lessons to aid the students designing their research programe.