Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 71'500 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 78'500 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 85'415 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 100'000 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 99'680 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 87'132 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsHealthcare
Facharzt/-ärztin für Intensivmedizin
You save lives at the intersection of medicine and technology
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
You treat acute, life-threatening conditions on the intensive care unit and coordinate the treatment team.
In intensive care, seconds decide life or death. As a Facharzt/-ärztin für Intensivmedizin, you take charge of the most urgent care for patients with failing vital functions. You diagnose, treat, and monitor complex conditions. You lead an interdisciplinary team and ensure smooth operations in highly specialized rooms. Your work combines medical expertise with technical knowledge and ethical reflection.
FieldHealthcare
Education pathHigher Education Profession
IndustryMedical & Scientific Roles
Swissdoc 0.724.10.40
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Specialist Consumer Finance. Based on 45 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+39% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 71'500 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 68'000 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 39'900 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 99'400 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich | CHF 90'000 | 19 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Building trade / Real estate | CHF 119'400 | 5 |
| Banking / Financial institutions | CHF 78'000 | 28 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Fachärztin/Facharzt für Intensivmedizin
Official education path
The path leads through a university master's degree in medicine followed by specialist training.
Typical training path
Fachärztin/Facharzt für Intensivmedizin
Prerequisites
- Master Universitäre Hochschule
- 6-jährige Ausbildung zur Fachärztin/zum Facharzt für Intensivmedizin
Requirements
- analytical skills
- strong sense of responsibility
- networked thinking and action
- communication skills
- careful working style
- reliability
Where this can lead
Lateral entry is usually not possible. The path is fixed through a medical master's degree and specialist training.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Analytical skills
- Sense of responsibility
- Team leadership
- Communication
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand at the bedside of a critically ill patient. You adjust ventilation settings together with the nursing team. You monitor vital signs on the screen. You discuss the next steps in therapy with your colleagues.
- You diagnose and treat failing vital functions like breathing and circulation.
- You monitor critically ill patients around the clock.
- You coordinate the interdisciplinary treatment team of doctors and nurses.
- You plan the efficient use of special equipment and rooms.
- You train specialized nursing staff on how to use medical devices.
- You independently lead surgical or internal medicine intensive care units.
- You do preventive work and research in scientific projects.
Working conditions
You usually work on surgical, internal medicine, or pediatric intensive care units in hospitals. Your workplace features highly advanced monitoring systems and a close-knit interdisciplinary team.
Where to learn
- SIWF Schweizerisches Institut für ärztliche Weiter- und Fortbildung c/o FMHElfenstr. 18, 3000 Bern
Strengths
- Analytical skills
- Sense of responsibility
- Team leadership
- Communication
Trade-offs
- High responsibility
- Shift work
- Emotional strain
- Technical pressure
06 · Similar
