Student assistantships in orthopedic surgery A strategy to counteract the declining interest in surgical careers

Introduction The field of orthopedics and trauma surgery in Germany is facing an increasing shortage of young specialists. Several solutions have already been proposed to attract new residents. This study evaluates the influence of a student job in an orthopedic surgery department on the career choice and skill acquisition of medical students. Methods A single center, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 51 medical students employed as paid student assistants in the Department of Orthopedics, Trauma and Plastic Surgery at the University of Leipzig since 2017. A total of 42 participants (response rate: 82.4%) completed an online questionnaire assessing sociodemographic data, career choices and skills acquired during their employment. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results Half of the participants with completed medical studies chose surgical residencies, with 83.3% of these in orthopedic surgery. The experience as a student assistant was ranked as the second most influential factor for career decisions after the final practical year. Participants reported significant skill acquisition, particularly in practical ward activities (mean Likert scale: 4.40 +/- 0.79), operating room skills 3.55 +/- 1.14 and understanding clinical processes 3.45 +/- 0.86; however, limited impact was observed on scientific motivation (2.29 +/- 1.13) and conducting orthopedic-specific examinations (1.98 +/- 0.79). Conclusion Student assistantships in orthopedic surgery provide substantial practical training and positively influence career decisions, potentially countering the declining interest in surgical fields. These roles represent an effective strategy for junior staff recruitment, offering structured exposure to the surgical profession. Future research should explore broader multicenter implementations to confirm these findings.