Postgraduate surgical flexible endoscopic education

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Education
• Medical Training

Background:

• Postgraduate surgical education mandates training in flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• The American Board of Surgery requires proficiency in endoscopic procedures for surgical residents.
• Effective training is crucial for patient safety and procedural success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, accuracy, and therapeutic efficacy of flexible endoscopy performed by surgical residents.
• To assess the role of supervised training in developing endoscopic skills among surgical trainees.
• To determine the impact of therapeutic endoscopy on the need for subsequent surgical interventions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient medical and endoscopic records.
• Inclusion of diagnostic and therapeutic flexible endoscopy procedures performed over 18 months.
• Review of cumulative resident case profiles detailing procedural experience and roles.

Main Results:

• Flexible endoscopy demonstrated low morbidity (0.4% diagnostic, 2.2% therapeutic) and mortality (0.2% diagnostic, 1.1% therapeutic) rates.
• Procedures were highly accurate (100% accuracy reported).
• Therapeutic endoscopy was utilized in 19% of cases, potentially avoiding more invasive surgery.

Conclusions:

• Supervision by experienced surgical endoscopists ensures the safety and efficacy of resident training.
• An integrated surgical educational environment enhances the acquisition of accurate endoscopic skills.
• Therapeutic flexible endoscopy offers a less invasive alternative to surgery for a significant patient subset.