Switzerland
Welcome to the Swiss page of the ESCP!
It is hoped that useful information on Switzerland can be found below. For more information, the Swiss national representative PD Dr Fabian Grass will be pleased to answer your questions - do not hesitate to get in touch by mail
Our country is known for its mountains, the Swiss Alps and their majestic scenery - shared with France, Italy, Austria and Lichtenstein as the country is located at the heart of Europe, its wealth made of labor harmony and hard work with one of the longest working week of the continent, its successful integration policy with one of the largest population share of foreign inhabitants in Europe, and the longevity of its habitants in the top 5 worldwide.
Healthcare is an essential part of Switzerland, rated third in the Lancet (2017) worldwide ranking of access and quality of healthcare systems. Indeed, more than 12% of the Gross National Product is generated by healthcare. Noteworthy, Switzerland exports about €2 billion worth of coffee, an export share 2.5 times that of chocolate and 3.5 times of cheese.
Colorectal surgeons and proctologists’ views are represented by the Swiss Visceral Surgeons, which includes working groups in minimal invasive surgery, proctology, and peritoneal cancer.
Specialist certification in general surgery is obtained after 6 years of training and passing a 2-step examination. Specialist certification in digestive surgery requires 2 more years of training and one more exam, whereas colorectal certification is granted by passing the EBSQ Coloproctology. There are an increasing number of formal residency and fellowship positions, yet the majority of aspiring surgeons has to sail by oneself through training. About a third of trainees and surgeons graduated from abroad and enrich the Swiss multiculturalism.
Research is an important asset of Switzerland and many colorectal surgeons contribute to the high overall scientific productivity of the country, championed by traditional universities and world-class technical universities, with an increasing number of collaborative clinical studies across the country and institutions of a large variety of size and scope.
General Information
Switzerland counted 8,654 million inhabitants on January 1, 2020. Of those, 1’345 are members of the Swiss Society of Surgery, 60 are ESCP Members and 52 hold an EBSQ certification in Coloproctology.
The largest colorectal meeting in Switzerland is the European Colorectal Congress of St.Gallen (#ECCStGallen), which is held yearly in early December - about 1’400 delegates gather to the St.Gallen Colorectal Week and listen to 50 interactive lectures given by international experts, including a didactic Masterclass in Colorectal Surgery with extended presentation and interaction time, and a Course in Proctology. In 2020, the ECCStGallen turned virtual, yet it kept its heart and uniqueness: www.colorectalsurgery.eu
Two other events belong to the Swiss colorectal scene: the Alpine Colorectal Meeting – traditionally held in January in the Alps with its mountain charm, and the Geneva advanced course in Coloproctology and pelvic floor held in February.
About our national representative
PD Dr. Fabian Grass has been elected in September 2022 at the annual ESCP conference by his peers. He passed his EBSQ Coloproctology examination in 2020 in Lausanne (during the pandemic). He is presently a consultant and lecturer at the Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, a tertiary care institution, with focus on colorectal cancer, IBD and robotic surgery. Dr. Grass specialized in colorectal surgery and management of complex colorectal pathologies including pelvic exenteration at the World renown Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN during a 2-year fellowship between 2018 and 2020. His research activities focus on perioperative medicine and enhanced recovery after surgery, in which the CHUV pioneers within Switzerland. Further research activities focus on clinical nutrition, short stay processes, big data analysis and technical innovations. Dr. Grass is involved in several national and international nutrition and guidelines committees.
