[Military surgery: an additional "emphasis" in surgery?]

The German armed forces and the civilian help organisations need competent and well-trained general surgeons to deal with the specific problems of war or other casualties. This is in contrast to the modern training modalities which are going into extreme specialisation. The term "mission surgery" comprises a very specific training for surgeons under the adverse conditions of war or catastrophe. It is not intended to create a new subset within the different surgical specialties, but to elucidate the skills which are needed for mission surgery. To achieve these objectives, the young surgeon should undergo basic training with a broad clinical spectrum. It is recommended that the requirements of trauma or orthopedic surgery should be fulfilled.