SUMMARYThe Permanent Working Group of European Junior Hospital Doctors (PWG) conducted a survey among surgical trainees in member countries with the aim of describing postgraduate training in surgery throughout Europe. In each country, 10 trainees with surgical training of 2–5 years and 10 trainees with surgical training of 6–9 years answered a questionnaire, completed a diary and kept a log book of operations for 1 week. A total of 165 surgeons from 12 countries completed the survey. A trainee had to care for an average patient load varying from 30 to 80 patients at any one time. The average number of working hours ranged from 52 to 88 h per week, including up to 18 h of unpaid work. The different tasks carried out within these working hours varied considerably, as did the proportion of tasks with educational value. Trainees participated in four to 11 major operations each week, but the number of operations a week did not reflect the number of operations conducted under supervision. In some countries, the majority of the trainees stated that they received their training mainly through unsupervised experience. The average number of days spent on courses and congresses varied from 4 to 15 days per year, with great variation in the percentage of expenses paid. Countries with favourable working conditions, such as fewer working hours, shorter shifts and a day off after being on duty, seemed to have gained these advantages by a reduction in working hours with educational value, rather than by a reduction in routine work.It is concluded that conditions of surgical training vary greatly between the European countries in relation to duration, working hours, tasks undertaken, and resources used on training. Every country is capable of improving its surgical train