The surgical profession at a crossroads: recruitment, retention, and resilience in the Netherlands

Abstract

The future of surgery is challenged by two major issues: declining medical students' interest in a surgical career and increasing burnout numbers among surgical residents. Addressing these issues is vital to maintain a vital and attractive surgical profession. Recruitment of suitable surgical trainees is there for increasingly important. In the Netherlands, the number of applicants for a surgical training position is stable, with a significant increase in female applicants. The applicant-training position is also stable. Nevertheless, as a surgical community, it is our responsibility to ensure that this situation is sustained in the long term in a durable manner. Encouraging medical students, functioning as role models, mentoring surgical trainees and addressing burnout is essential to keep our profession attractive for all.

Keywords: durability; generational differences; generations; intergenerational relations; medical students; surgery; work engagement; workforce; work–life balance.