Surgery and Subcategories

There is no doubt that this medical specialty enjoys a particularly high prestige. Surgeons are particularly skilled in the use of scalpels and the like; depending on their specialty, they are masters of the most modern and highly precise surgical techniques. In this regard, it is no coincidence that the specialist title "surgery", which comes from the Greek, means something similar to craftsmanship.

The German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer) divides the training and scope of activity of surgeons into prevention, recognition, conservative and operative treatment, post-operative care and rehabilitation of surgical diseases, injuries and their consequences, as well as congenital and acquired changes in the shape and malformations of vessels, internal organs including the heart, the musculoskeletal system and reconstructive and transplant oncological surgery.

Where do surgeons work? Hospitals are the most common place for surgical specialists to work. This is true for the vast majority, 85% of all surgeons. Surgeons can also work in government, research, and teaching.

It is also possible to open your own practice or work in one as an employed specialist, depending on your specialization. Outpatient procedures can also be performed on site. As an affiliated doctor, these procedures can also be performed in a partner clinic. In this sense, having your own practice and working in a clinic are not contradictory. To give you an idea, you will find some job advertisements.

The training period in surgery lasts 72 months and must be completed with a person authorised to provide training at a training centre in accordance with § 5 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 of the Regulation on professional training, of which 18 months must be completed in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
18 months must be completed in visceral surgery
6 months must be completed in the emergency department
6 months in intensive care medicine.

As in all medical fields, surgery is also experiencing a severe shortage of qualified personnel. Experts predict that by 2030, nearly one in four jobs could be unfilled.

In light of this development, those who decide to train as a specialist in general surgery will often be able to confidently choose a job close to them.

​In addition, professional flexibility outside the hospital setting will continue to increase in the future: this is because the range of outpatient procedures has become much broader. Self-employment or the creation of one's own practice is therefore becoming an attractive option for an increasing number of surgeons.

The field of surgery is divided into eight different subfields in which specific knowledge is acquired.

The following specialist training courses in the field of surgery can be completed:

Specialization as a specialist in general surgery
Specialization as a specialist in vascular surgery
Specialization as a specialist in cardiac surgery
Specialization in pediatric and adolescent surgery
Specialization as a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery

Continuing education as a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery
Continuing education as a specialist in thoracic surgery
Continuing education as a specialist in visceral surgery
General surgery specialists are responsible for basic surgical care.

As an assistant physician or during specialist training, the income is usually between 55,000 and 75,000 euros per year.

As a surgical specialist, the salary is between 70,000 and 100,000 euros per year: professional experience, position in the clinic, size of the employer and details of the collective labor agreement are decisive factors in determining the earnings as a surgeon. Those aspiring to a career in the hospital sector can expect to earn more than 100,000 euros as a senior surgeon.

It is difficult to generalize the earnings after opening your own surgical practice. This is due on the one hand to the cost structure and individual workload, and on the other hand to the many specialties and areas of specialization. In the field of cosmetic surgery, for example, many patients have to pay for many procedures out of their own pockets: health insurance companies only cover the costs of procedures if they are medically necessary. In general, net income assessments of surgical medical practices in Germany show that with an income significantly above 200,000 euros per year, the path of self-employment as a surgeon can be financially very lucrative.