avg surgical exp. in us

Hi, wanted to provide you with a more accurate response to your question. This data is from the Winter 2008 ACGME Orthopedic RRC. These are the reported number of cases on average for the PGY2-PGY5 years. By the way, what program in Germany are you a resident of? I am stuck in Germany right now with the army, killing time until I get out, and can resume my residency training. If you're anywhere near Munich, I'd like to come visit your program for the day.

What follow is the mean Numbers of CPT Codes Reported During PGY-2
through PGY-5 Years by Orthopaedic Surgery Residents
Who Completed Their Programs June 30, 2007.

First number listed is number of Adult only in that catagory
Second number lister is number of Pediatric cases in that catagory
Third number is all cases of that catagory

Shoulder 161.7 4.8 166.5
Humerus/Elbow 54.9 25.9 80.8
Forearm/Wrist 107.7 28.6 136.3
Hand/Fingers 107.7 15 122.7
Pelvis/Hip 178.6 27.3 205.9
Femur/Knee 382.8 44.5 427.3
Leg/Ankle 163.3 39.4 202.7
Foot/Toes 87.3 22.2 109.5
Other Musculoskeletal 115.4 45.1 160.5
Spine 119.7 24.9 144.6
Integumentary System 96.5 10.8 107.3
Nervous System 55.1 1.7 56.8
Miscellaneous 26 5.8 31.8
Oncology Procedures 24.8 4.6 29.4
Microsurgery Procedures 24.5 1.9 26.4

Avg total number reported is 1952 cases per resident during the course of the PGY2-PGY5 years.

I'm an ortho resident in Norway, currently in 2nd year of residency (over here an ortho residency takes 6,5 years. We do not not count internship which is 1,5 years and has to be done before we can apply for residency).

After the first year I had 190 operations. I didn't check the number of 1st assists, but that folder is similar size so I guess it's around the same number, in total around 350-400 operations.

The hospital here is medium sized in norwegian standards, our ortho department has 7 attendings, we're normally 4 residents, plus continually 2 interns that rotate to us.

From what I've read on this forum it seems like you in America have a lot busier residencies than we do, there would be no way that we could get 1000 operations per year as residents here.