Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.

Albert Einstein (1879–1955)

Surgery has changed fundamentally over the past decades, driven by progress in robotics, artificial intelligence and personalized treatment. To ensure the highest standards of care, continuous knowledge exchange is indispensable for surgeons.

The University Medical Center Mainz, with its high case volume and modern equipment, offers an ideal environment for comprehensive, systematic and high-quality surgical education and training.

Here, Grimminger fosters a culture of openness and collaboration in which every member of the team is valued as an equal partner. His approach of sharing knowledge freely is a model for modern leadership in medicine.

As part of my fellowship with the European Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (ESDE), I have the rare opportunity to learn from two leading surgeons: Grimminger in Mainz and Prof. Schneider in Zurich. With extensive operative exposure both at my previous hospital and now in Mainz, and with active involvement in accompanying research projects, this programme is an excellent setting in which to broaden specialist knowledge and develop surgical skills.

Particularly valuable is the weekly review of my progress by Prof. Schneider, which makes my learning more efficient and more focused. New skills flow directly into my work in Zurich at Hirslanden.