National survey on endoscopy training in the UK.
BACKGROUND
Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is an important skill for both gastroenterologists and general surgeons but concerns have been raised about the provision and delivery of training. This survey aimed to evaluate and compare the delivery of endoscopy training to gastroenterology and surgical trainees in the UK.


METHODS
A nationwide electronic survey was carried out of UK gastroenterology and general surgery trainees.


RESULTS
There were 216 responses (33% gastroenterologists, 67% surgeons). Gastroenterology trainees attended more non-training endoscopy lists (mean: 3.0 vs 1.2) and training lists than surgical trainees (mean: 0.9 vs 0.5). A significantly higher proportion of gastroenterologists had already achieved accreditation in gastroscopy (60.8% vs 28.9%), colonoscopy (66.7% vs 1.4%) and flexible sigmoidoscopy (33.3% vs 3.0%). More gastroenterology trainees aspired to achieve accreditation in gastroscopy (97.2% vs 79.2%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (91.7% vs 70.1%) and colonoscopy (88.8% vs 55.5%) by completion of training. By completion of training, surgeons were less likely than gastroenterologists to have completed the required number of procedures to gain accreditation in gastroscopy (60.3% vs 91.3%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (64.6% vs 68.6%) and colonoscopy (60.3% vs 70.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
This survey highlights marked disparities between surgical and gastroenterology trainees in both aiming for and achieving accreditation in endoscopy. Without changes to the delivery and provision of training as well as clarification of the role of endoscopy training in a surgical training programme, future surgeons will not be able to perform essential endoscopic assessment of patients as part of their management algorithm.
Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons Trainees' Committee , UK.
R P
RP
Jones
Dukes' Club , UK.
N A
NA
Stylianides
Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons Trainees' Committee , UK.
A G
AG
Robertson
Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons Trainees' Committee , UK.
V S K
VS
Yip
British Society of Gastroenterology Trainees' Committee , UK.
G
G
Chadwick
D004724:Endoscopy / Q000193:education*; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D066231:Surgeons / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom
Endoscopy; Gastroenterology; Surgery; Training