[Postgraduate training in anesthesiology in Germany : Challenges and perspectives]

Postgraduate medical training in anesthesiology in Germany faces a variety of challenges, including high competency requirements, staffing shortages, the implementation of competence-based training programs and the potential long-term effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.

This secondary analysis focuses on the German subgroup of a survey conducted by the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC), as reported by Dow et al. Using descriptive statistics, the study analyzed training conditions, supervision, workload, pandemic-related impacts on training and the consideration of work abroad and examined these factors within a European context.

A total of 140 doctors in training from Germany completed the questionnaire. Although the results largely align with European trends, only a comparatively small proportion of respondents (38%) reported receiving adequate supervision. With a median of 50 working hours per week and regular overtime, the workload is high and 37% reported considering working abroad. Whilst the majority reported no significant pandemic-related disruption to their training, a substantial minority reported restrictions on acquiring practical skills or a lack of opportunities to catch up on missed content.

The findings underscore the need for improved supervision, competence-based training concepts, and adequate staffing. Coordinated measures by all relevant stakeholders, from hospital management to professional societies, appear necessary to improve the training and working conditions associated with the consideration of working abroad.