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Specialist Training in Surgery (Swiss federal title, national pathway)

SIWF / ISFM (Swiss Institute for Medical Education)

General SurgeryGeneral SurgerySpecialist training programme
Destination
CHE
Bern, Switzerland
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Overview

National SIWF programme for the federal specialist title in Surgery (Chirurgie), including 6 months in a surgical/interdisciplinary emergency department; Visceral Surgery, Surgical Senology and other Schwerpunkte build on it.

The programme

Training type
Specialist training programme
Duration
6 years: 45-69 months clinical surgery (incl. 6 months emergency department), 3-6 months anaesthesia and/or intensive care, up to 24 months options
Start
Not stated on official page
Positions
Not stated on official page
Accreditation
Federal specialist title (eidg. Facharzttitel) awarded by SIWF; programme accredited by the Federal Department of Home Affairs on 12 August 2025 (programme of 1 July 2022, last revised 23 January 2025).
Department
Not stated on official page

Eligibility and visa

Eligibility
Medical graduates.
International applicants
Foreign training creditable under Art. 33 WBO; at least 2 years of clinical training must be done at Swiss category A or B surgery sites.
Visa support
Not stated on official page
Licence requirement
Admission to the specialist examination requires a Swiss federal or recognised foreign medical diploma (Art. 23 WBO).

How to apply

Deadline
Not stated on official page
Application method
Apply individually for resident (Assistenzarzt) posts at SIWF-recognised training sites (searchable in the SIWF register, www.siwf-register.ch); the title is then applied for through SIWF once all requirements, including the specialist exam, are met.

Funding

Funding
Not stated on official page

Official sources

https://www.siwf.ch/weiterbildung/facharzttitel-und-schwerpunkte/chirurgie.cfmhttps://www.siwf.ch/files/pdf21/chirurgie_version_internet_d.pdf

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