A drive control device for a surgical motor system includes a motor control unit for controlling an electric motor in an open and/or closed loop, the electric motor driving a surgical tool. In order to use the drive control device for the most varied application cases, a parameter specification device is provided upstream of the motor control unit. The parameter specification device determines the current medical application on the basis of a detected state or state history of the surgical motor system, in particular of the electric motor, selects a control mode which is suitable for the medical application, and gives the motor control unit the open or closed loop parameters that the open or closed loop control profile of the electric motor corresponds to the selected control mode.