More and more young doctors are women 

In Switzerland, six out of ten doctors aged under 40 are women, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). 

This is more than double the proportion of women doctors among members of the profession aged 60 to 64 (28%), the FSO said on Friday. Women make up 41% of all the 23,000 doctors working in Switzerland. They nevertheless tend to work fewer hours. While 77% of male doctors work five days per week, only 65% of women doctors do. 

These are the findings of the latest FSO structural survey of surgeries and out-patient centres and are based on 2018 statistics. The survey confirms a trend towards more women doctors and also foreign doctors working in Switzerland.  

Foreign doctors

Foreign or foreign-trained doctors “play an important role” in Switzerland, notes the FSO. Nearly a quarter (23%) of the doctors in practice do not have a Swiss passport. In addition, just under a third (30%) of all practitioners obtained their degrees abroad, especially in neighbouring countries. 

Another striking figure is that 29% of self-employed doctors work in a group practice. Among general practitioners and paediatricians, the proportion is as high as 39%. 

Of the 16,924 practices and out-patient centres in Switzerland as of December 31, 2018, 14% of the physicians were over retirement age.