Academic pediatric surgery-The German perspective

摘要

Today Pediatric surgery has become well established as fix point in the operative care of infants and children in Germany. The academic platform has traditionally been a strong driver for this development. However, as in other places around the world, academic pediatric surgery in Germany is currently facing relevant challenges. These challenges include internal aspects of the field (for example the broad spectrum with a rapidly ongoing development towards sub-specialization) but also external aspects (for example political specifications in form of the working hours act). Out of over 230 pediatric surgical institutions in Germany, only 33 are University-based. Sixteen of those 33 institutions are completely independent, whereas the other 18 are based within adult surgical University departments. In this article the authors give an overview over the current status of academic Pediatric surgery in Germany with its challenges and perspectives.