Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40427892›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Quality of Life and Working Conditions of Plastic Surgeons and Trainees: A National Survey.

Léna G Dietrich, Michael J Deml, Laura De Pellegrin, Cédric Zubler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Employee Perceptions of a Clinical Department's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Léna G DietrichDepartment of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Michael J DemlInstitute of Sociological Research, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2224-8173
Laura De PellegrinDepartment of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Cédric ZublerDepartment of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-7049-856X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile the well-being and working conditions of healthcare professionals are increasingly scrutinized, there remains a critical research gap regarding the quality of life and job satisfaction of plastic surgeons in Switzerland. No prior national study has systematically examined these aspects within this specialty.

objectiveThis study aims to address this gap by evaluating workload, career satisfaction, and quality of life among Swiss plastic surgeons and trainees, thereby providing evidence to inform systemic improvements in the profession.

methodsA national, multilingual online survey was distributed to all members of the Swiss Society for Plastic Surgery and the Association of Young Plastic Surgeons. A total of 102 plastic surgeons responded (response rate: 22.7%). The survey assessed contractual versus actual working hours, work performed during personal time, mental health indicators (e.g., burnout), and career satisfaction. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted.

resultsThe respondents reported an average of 58 actual versus 49 contractual working hours per week, with an additional 8.1 h spent working during leisure time. Burnout symptoms were present in 29%, and 63% experienced work-related stress during their free time. While 42% wished to reduce their workload, 88.7% would still choose the profession again. Career satisfaction averaged 3.66/5, although 35% rated their salary as inadequate. Notably, 79.8% reported work negatively affecting private relationships, despite 82.65% feeling supported by their environment.

conclusionThis first nationwide assessment highlights the high workload and psychological strain faced by Swiss plastic surgeons. Key priorities include targeted burnout prevention, structural workload reduction, enhanced support for work-life integration (especially among women and younger surgeons), and improved compensation. These measures are essential to sustain the well-being of practitioners and ensure long-term quality in surgical care.

Indexed as

Job SatisfactionQuality of LifeSurgeonsSurgery, PlasticWorkloadAdultBurnout, ProfessionalFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesSwitzerlandWorking Conditionsjob satisfactionplastic surgeryquality of lifeworking conditions

Identifiers

PMID40427892
PMCPMC12110752

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.