Current Approach to Training and Assessing New Generations of Endoscopists

Abstract

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a diagnostic and therapeutic study for various upper gastrointestinal tract diseases. It is a fundamental part of the education and training fellows receive in gastroenterology programs, focusing on developing skills to perform it safely, effectively, and efficiently and master the technique. Historically, value has been attached to the number of procedures required to acquire skills; there is a discrepancy in the recommendations by scientific societies regarding the "ideal" number to meet the minimum requirements and learn the necessary skills. However, each student has different innate and developed abilities that make this process asymmetric. Adopting a combined training approach (observation, clinical practice, and simulation) is the best method to learn diagnostic EGD. We are facing a generation with forms of learning different from those traditionally implemented, which implies an ongoing process of training and updating for endoscopists dedicated to teaching.