[The working time load of specialists and senior physicians in German urology-a critical assessment]

The working and continued training conditions of assistant physicians in urology in Germany have already been analyzed. But what about senior urologists in Germany? Under which conditions do they have to work? As far as we know no published data currently exist which illuminate the conditions of this special urological professional group, therefore, the results of this survey are presented.

To survey and evaluate the current working conditions of certified and senior urologists in Germany as comprehensively as possible.

The working group of employed physicians of the Professional Association of German Urologists (BvDU) carried out a survey within the framework of the urological senior physician forum 2016 and on-line via the e‑mail distributor of the German Society for Urology (DGU). The questions involved the workload, working conditions and satisfaction, overtime performed, working hours and opt out regulations.

A total of 176 senior physicians participated in the survey of which 88% were male and 12% female. In Germany there are 1125 senior physicians. The average age of the responders was 44.9 years. In more than 80% of the participants the average weekly working hours were over 50 h and 70% signed an opt out regulation. An association between an increasing job dissatisfaction above a working week over 55 h and an average attendance in on-call service over 4 h could be established. The number of on-call services had no influence on job satisfaction. A total of 43% (70 out of 162) of the participants stated that overtime hours were regularly forfeited and 12% (20 out of 162) that all overtime hours were forfeited. Approximately 30% of senior physicians in German urology were dissatisfied with the current working conditions in the present form.

Based on the acquired data, adaptation and improvements in the working conditions of senior urologists are necessary in order to maintain the attractiveness of the occupational image and leading positions in German urology.