ArticleLangenbeck's archives of surgery2025
Future demand for visceral surgeons in Switzerland: an empirical study.
Article in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Changes in operative and in-hospital outcome of proximal femoral fractures before and after the implementation of work hour restrictions in Switzerland.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026Article
- Rising Incidence of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms in Northern Switzerland-Data From the Cancer Registry.Journal of the Endocrine Society · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSwitzerland's aging population and evolving healthcare demands are expected to increase the need for specialized surgeons. Meanwhile, ongoing discussions about reduced work hours for residents and a growing trend toward minimally invasive and outpatient procedures may influence training opportunities and inpatient procedural volumes. The aim of this study was to evaluate workforce, training, and procedural volumes in surgery to determine the future demand for visceral surgeons in Switzerland.
methodsThis study analysed national datasets from 2009 to 2023 to assess trends in medical school enrolments, recognised medical diplomas, residency positions, and the availability of general and visceral surgeons. Additionally, surgical procedure volumes were evaluated with a particular focus on pancreatic surgery as a proxy for complex cases and appendectomies for simple procedures. Linear regression models projected developments up to 2040, incorporating Swiss population growth forecasts.
resultsThe number of medical diplomas - both Swiss-issued and foreign-recognized - showed an increase from 2,725 in 2011 to 4,647 in 2023. Projections indicate a further rise, reaching over 6,000 by 2040. Although total surgical residency positions declined slightly, spots dedicated to general surgery candidates grew by 8.7%. The overall pool of general surgeons increased from 1'127 in 2009 to 1'557 in 2023, with the proportion of women rising from 10.6 to 24.9% within the same interval. From 2013 to 2023, annual appendectomies increased from 11,529 to 12,412 (7.7% growth), and forecasts project a further rise of approximately 14% by 2040, although the procedures per surgeon are expected to decrease due to ongoing workforce expansion. Visceral surgeons numbered 303 by 2023 (11% female), and forecasts suggest a 50% increase to approximately 462 by 2040. Pancreatic surgery cases grew by 14.5% between 2016 and 2023 and are projected to increase by an additional 25% by 2040. However, the number of complex surgeries per visceral surgeon is projected to decline steadily over the next years.
conclusionsThe expansion of the surgical workforce is projected to overcompensate for the growth of Switzerland's population. In combination with a shift towards outpatient care and reduced working hours, procedural exposure could become critical in general and visceral surgery. Ensuring that training pathways and practice models adapt to these evolving demands will be vital to maintaining high standards of surgical care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.