JOCS
Journal of Comprehensive Surgery

The aim of the Comprehensive Surgery is to publish original research articles of the highest scientific and clinical value at the international level in all surgical fields.

eISSN: 2980-0862
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Original Article
What do the numbers say and what do surgeons choose? A national analysis of general surgery subspecialty placements in Turkiye
Abstract
Aims: General surgery subspecialty training is influenced not only by individual career preferences but also by institutional capacity, regional inequalities, and changing professional expectations. Despite increasing quotas in recent years, declining occupancy rates suggest that subspecialty preferences may reflect broader professional and structural factors. This study aimed to evaluate temporal trends, occupancy rates, and regional/institutional distribution patterns of general surgery subspecialty placements in Turkiye.
Methods: Placement data from general surgery subspecialty programs between 2015 and 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Examination year, placement type, subspecialty branch, hospital category, geographic region, quotas, vacant positions, and occupancy rates were evaluated using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 503 placement records comprising 757 quotas were analyzed, of which 68.4% were filled. Occupancy rates declined from 82.8% in 2015–2019 to 58.0% in 2020–2025 despite increasing quotas. Surgical oncology (80.6%) and gastrointestinal surgery (75.5%) had the highest occupancy rates, whereas intensive care (45.8%) and hand surgery (34.8%) showed substantially lower occupancy. Most quotas were concentrated in university hospitals and metropolitan cities. Additional placement quotas demonstrated markedly lower occupancy rates (34.9%) and accounted for a considerable proportion of vacant positions.
Conclusion: Although general surgery subspecialty training in Turkiye has expanded quantitatively over the last decade, occupancy rates have declined significantly, particularly after 2020. These findings suggest that subspecialty preferences are shaped not only by numerical quota increases but also by factors such as workload, training environment, burnout, career sustainability, and quality of life. A more comprehensive workforce planning strategy considering surgeons’ professional expectations may therefore be necessary.

Keywords : Workforce planning, surgical workforce, fellowship selection, regional disparities, career sustainability, physician burnout

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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 3, 2026
Page : 61-67
https://doi.org/10.51271/JOCS-0078
Article Information
Received : 14 Haz 2026
Accepted : 29 Haz 2026
Published : 25 Ağu 2026
Corresponding Author :

Şükran Çavdar: Department of General Surgery, Payas State Hospital, Hatay, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Çavdar Ş, Süer MS, Faruk Yazıcı F, et al. What do the numbers say and what do surgeons choose? A national analysis of general surgery subspecialty placements in Turkiye. J Compr Surg. 2025;4(3):61-67.

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