Endoscopy is now unavoidable part of practice of physician and practice of endoscopy must respect the ethical aspects of medicine. The principles of humanism must be reinforced when professor is teaching endoscopy to their students. A well-organized, structured training is essential if we are to ensure that procedures are performed in a safe and effective manner without creating complication to our patients. The most difficult period of training in endoscopy is with the novice endoscopist, so we recommend the introduction of a structured pre-endoscopy training curriculum. The good training program in endoscopy should ideally include introductory lectures and courses, the use of didactic videos and training in endoscopy on a computer-based simulator.

Prof. R.K. Mishra performing endoscopic surgery

This should be followed by hand eye coordination of endoscope on animal followed by exposure in operation theatre. The international organizations of endoscopic physician advocate ‘train the trainers’ international courses to encourage a uniform approach to the teaching of endoscopy. The endoscopic trainer themselves should be properly qualified so that they can train art and science of endoscopy to their students. If the trainer themselves are trained then their aim will be to educate skilled endoscopists in the principles of teaching, which should be thoroughly grounded in the ethics of our profession.

 

Medical education is time consuming and very expensive. An endoscopic fellowship is particularly difficult due to the invasive endoscopic procedures. To learn endoscopy adds a potential risk for the patients. Many studies have proved that endoscopic training on simulators could reduce both the learning curvature and the critical life threatening mistakes. Endoscopic training is generally long and very much expensive. The introduction of sophisticated simulators as GI virtual reality simulator has made possible to evaluate a training program based on a simulator device. Many prospective studies has been performed to validate the use of a computer-based simulator in the endoscopic fellowship.

 

 

These simulators are based on the production of a three-dimensional geometric model. The texture of the GI tract is videotaped during a real endoscopic procedure and manipulated by a computer. The computer also stores information related to the endoscope movement during the procedure. Information about the location of the endoscope is transmitted form sensors located in the endoscope. The tactile feedback is based on both the motion model and the characteristics of GI tract. The electronically designed virtual reality three dimensional effect gives a very nice learning environment for a physician. It is just like a pilot learning first on simulator how to take off and land the air craft. All these effects are finally manipulated by the computer and give a realistic effect: in real-time. The endoscopy is performed in a mannequin using a real endoscope. Steering and torque of the endoscope is therefore possible and there are suction and inflation buttons as well. The surgeon can feel the tactile sensation when he will push hard the intestinal wall. All these effects made the simulator endoscopic procedure similar to the reality. 

 

 

Endoscopy is now unavoidable part of practice of physician and practice of endoscopy must respect the ethical aspects of medicine. The principles of humanism must be reinforced when professor is teaching endoscopy to their students. A well-organized, structured training is essential if we are to ensure that procedures are performed in a safe and effective manner without creating complication to our patients. The most difficult period of training in endoscopy is with the novice endoscopist, so we recommend the introduction of a structured pre-endoscopy training curriculum. The good training program in endoscopy should ideally include introductory lectures and courses, the use of didactic videos and training in endoscopy on a computer-based simulator. This should be followed by hand eye coordination of endoscope on animal followed by exposure in operation theatre. The international organizations of endoscopic physician advocate ‘train the trainers’ international courses to encourage a uniform approach to the teaching of endoscopy. The endoscopic trainer themselves should be properly qualified so that they can train art and science of endoscopy to their students. If the trainer themselves are trained then their aim will be to educate skilled endoscopists in the principles of teaching, which should be thoroughly grounded in the ethics of our profession.

Medical education is time consuming and very expensive. An endoscopic fellowship is particularly difficult due to the invasive endoscopic procedures. To learn endoscopy adds a potential risk for the patients. Many studies have proved that endoscopic training on simulators could reduce both the learning curvature and the critical life threatening mistakes. Endoscopic training is generally long and very much expensive. The introduction of sophisticated simulators as GI virtual reality simulator has made possible to evaluate a training program based on a simulator device. Many prospective studies has been performed to validate the use of a computer-based simulator in the endoscopic fellowship.