Work and training conditions of residents in urology in Germany Results of a 2015 nationwide survey by the German Society of Residents in Urology

Background. High-quality urologic residency training programs are crucial to secure both the future of our specialty and patient care. However, little is known about the current training and working conditions among German urology residents. Objectives. To comprehensively assess the training- and working conditions among urologic residents in Germany. Materials and methods. The GeSRU invited all German urologic residents to complete an online survey on training- and work conditions. Furthermore, the model of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) was applied to measure psychosocial strain at work. Results. A total of 476 urologic residents participated in the survey. Workdays are characterized by high pace and workload and economic considerations. This comes at the cost of professional training, research and family time. Due to these circumstances, a relevant part of residents draws or at least considers consequences. Psychosocial strain among participants is high and conveys a risk for physicians' health and patients' quality of care. Conclusion. Our findings call for an adjustment of urologic working and training conditions to preserve high-quality medical treatment and to ensure an attractive working environment