Reviving surgery with the smile, excitement, and Gemeinschaft concept: attempt at the Department of Surgery, Jikei University

Between 1994 and 2004, the number of surgeons in Japan declined by 18%, whereas the total number of medical doctors increased by 30% during the same period. This was due to the fact that the younger generation avoided tough working environments with long working hours. We attempted to revive surgery by reintroducing the good old Japanese community as the model under the slogan of “intimate community with excitement and sense of secureness”. In the absence of financial incentives, we were able to recruit young staff, and the number of surgeons at Jikei University has increased by 28% over the last 12 years and currently we have 280 surgeons. Our experience showed that although the younger generation is conscious about quality of life and financial success, they also value excitement, friendship, and happiness, something we were able to provide without financial spending. However, our success may be an exception and cannot be generalized; therefore, we should continue to strive to improve the surgeon’s quality of life by creating a better working environment, including sustainable work hours and decent financial incentives.