Why don’t young doctors want to be surgeons?

Aim: The increasing staff shortages in Polish surgery incline towards posing the following questions: What are the reasons for the reluctance of Polish doctors in training and residents to specialize in this field of medicine? What measures could be pursued to raise the interest of students and trainees in specializing in general surgery? The aim of this paper is to attempt to answer these questions. Material and methods: From August 5 to December 30, 2019, an online survey of doctors in training and resident doctors was conducted. The study covered 2,498 people. Results: The key reason indicated by young doctors of both sexes was the disproportion between the level of remuneration and professional responsibility. Other most commonly reported reasons include: high overtime, physical and mental strain at work, and fear of not being allowed by senior colleagues to perform surgery. Conclusions: In view of the aging Polish surgical staff and a decreasing number of young doctors interested in this field of medicine, it is necessary to introduce changes into their mode of education.