[jandrewrogers]

This doesn’t follow. Below some level of skill and experience they can contribute negative value to the project. Companies need a minimum level of experience just to make the role pay for itself.

Does the high skill standard for surgeons mean the market for surgeons is saturated?

[9rx]

If you are not needing to consider having someone who does not meet a certain skill standard to perform surgery on you, then, yes, it would seem that the surgeon market is saturated as the parent describes it.

[phito]

It depends on the time scale you are looking at it with. It looks saturated short-term, but it surely is not long term. The problem will only show up once your surgeons start retiring.

[9rx]

Instantaneous time is the only time scale that makes sense with respect to the topic at hand.

Sure, it is possible for the market to desaturate at some point as key people leave. But at that point, assuming suitable, per the earlier comment, replacements don't fill the void, the market will either come to accept lesser skilled people or it will come to accept fewer surgeries, returning to equilibrium. Not exactly magic.