An apprenticeship of some kind must have been part of the schooling for surgery, but it is not clear whether surgery was a highly reputed specialty, a province of all swnw, or a separate but lower form of practice.

    In the absence of a monetary system (gold was only introduced until the New Kingdom) the swnw were paid with goods and services.  Generally they appear to have been well rewarded.  In the temple, however, the swnw were salaried, ministering to the populace without fees.  Swnw prepared their own drugs and charged patients for these medications.