Digital platforms, virtual reality, and augmented reality in gastrointestinal endoscopy training

Remote training in procedural tasks has experienced robust growth in recent years, spurred by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to meet the need for basic and continued skills development, including in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Remote endoscopy training offers learners the opportunity for skill acquisition, real-time feedback, and access to experts from around the world, and gives mentors the ability to educate trainees without the need to travel themselves. Remote training can be cost-effective but requires reliable technology and continuous assessment to ensure training quality. Ethical and legal issues related to patient safety may also exist. Training using virtual or augmented reality, on the other hand, does not involve patients and, hence, has no patient safety, legal, or ethical issues. Multiple endoscopic scenarios, from basic to advanced, can be practiced multiple times with immediate feedback on performance. These innovations are expected to not only increase individual endoscopy skills but also expand access to specialized care in remote areas, either in the same country or in underserved regions of the world. This review describes various techniques in remote endoscopy training with associated advantages and drawbacks and analyzes research outcomes on the effectiveness of remote endoscopy training.