[The German Surgery Congress from the perspective of young surgeons; expectations and barriers : Results of a nationwide online survey].

BACKGROUND

The German Surgery Congress (DCK) represents a central platform for scientific exchange and continuing medical education in the surgical disciplines in Germany; however, participation rates among young surgeons appear disproportionately low relative to the target population.

OBJECTIVE

The study assessed the expectations, barriers to participation and potential areas for improvement of the DCK from the perspective of young surgeons.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

An anonymous web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among young surgeons in Germany. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, prior congress experience, barriers to participation, expectations regarding content and formats and open-ended responses to general perception of the DCK. The qualitatively and quantitatively collated data were exploratively analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 226 responses were analyzed. The overall willingness to participate was high (90.3%). The main barriers identified were lack of institutional support/leave (38.1%), high costs (22.1%) and insufficient information about the congress (14.2%). Content-related factors played a minor role. Participants prioritized practice-oriented formats, particularly hands-on courses (50.9%), interactive sessions (33.6%), mentoring and networking opportunities (46.9%). Expectations were largely consistent across subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Low participation of young surgeons in the DCK appears to be primarily driven by structural and organizational barriers rather than lack of interest. The findings highlight that the further development of the DCK does not primarily depend on expanding the program but on a targeted orientation toward the needs of young surgeons and a reduction In structural access barriers. A stronger emphasis on practice-oriented continuing education, mentoring, interactive formats and hybrid concepts could sustainably improve the attractiveness and accessibility of the DCK.