Abstract
BACKGROUND: Surgical disciplines are fighting with a critical and escalating shortage of recruits. Potential young professionals belong to the Generation Y, a generation that is constantly challenging senior consultants and human resources departments. The aim of this study was the analysis of various measures of personnel acquisition with respect to motivating factors of young medical students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey was carried out among students of the first and ninth semesters of a medical faculty on individual motivating factors, aspiration for medical specialist training and professional experience gained in surgery. RESULTS: Results from 179 out of 269 medical students were available for analysis (66.5% response rate). The interest in a specialist training in surgery was high in the first semester of medical school (21%) but dropped noticeably up to the ninth semester (13%, p = 0.23). Medical students in the ninth semester, who favored professional advancement and appreciation over flexible working hours showed a significantly higher interest in a specialist training in surgery (p = 0.022). Surgical experience gained was valued with an average grade of 2+ (1 = best, 6 = worst). CONCLUSION: The high fundamental interest in a surgical residency during the beginning of medical studies is a competitive advantage of surgical disciplines; however, the diverse recruiting efforts are mainly aimed at later stages of studies. Timely hands-on courses in the core working area of surgery, the operating theatre, have proven to be particularly successful for the long-term acquisition and retention of junior doctors.