Training in endoscopic ultrasonography: An Asian perspective

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Background:

• Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) training in Asia faces challenges due to increasing demand for interventional procedures and a shortage of formal programs.
• The expansion of therapeutic EUS applications necessitates enhanced training for both new and existing endosonographers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role and effectiveness of short-term EUS programs in addressing training needs in Asia.
• To explore alternative training models that can adapt to the evolving landscape of EUS.

Main Methods:

• Review of current EUS training initiatives in Asia.
• Analysis of the structure and content of short-term EUS programs, including didactic lectures, live demonstrations, and hands-on training.
• Comparison of short-term programs with traditional EUS fellowships.

Main Results:

• Short-term EUS programs are increasingly conducted across Asia to meet the demand for EUS skills.
• These programs offer intensive training combining various methods and are adaptable to different experience levels.
• Flexible, progressive learning models in short-term courses are effective and potentially superior to fixed-term fellowships.

Conclusions:

• Short-term EUS programs provide a flexible and effective solution to the training challenges in Asia.
• The open-ended, progressive learning model of these courses is agile and well-suited to meet future demands in EUS training.