EXHIBIT 5.1

                      [BASS, BERRY & SIMS PLC LETTERHEAD]

                                 August 4, 2003

AmSurg Corp.
20 Burton Hills Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37215

         RE:      REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as your counsel in the preparation of a Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") relating to the Amended and
Restated AmSurg Corp. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the "Plan"), to be
filed by you with the Securities and Exchange Commission, covering 1,000,000
additional shares of common stock, no par value (the "Shares"), issuable
pursuant to the Plan.

         In so acting, we have examined and relied upon such records, documents
and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate in order
to express the opinion hereinafter set forth and have assumed the genuineness of
all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals
and the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as
certified or photostatic copies.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when
issued pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan, will be duly and validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

                                              Very truly yours,

                                              /s/ Bass, Berry & Sims PLC