The Norwegian Endoscopy School
«Our aim is to ensure proper endoscopy training, efficient teamwork, and high-quality endoscopic services for the national screening program (ColorectalScreen Norway).”
ColorectalScreen Norway
The National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program was launched in 2022. The success of the screening program will largely depend on the quality of endoscopic practices at the screening centers. Therefore, the Endoscopy School has developed several courses to ensure proper endoscopy training, effective teamwork, and high-quality endoscopic services within the national screening program.
The courses organized by the Endoscopy School
The Endoscopy School initiated its first courses in 2014 and has since conducted courses for leaders in endoscopy units and colonoscopy instructors. The course portfolio is continuously evolving and being revised. Information about available courses and registration forms is posted on endoskopiskolen.no.
Our courses
Train the Colonoscopy Trainers Course (KIK in Norwegian)
Objective
The course aims to provide participants with the skills to instruct in endoscopic procedures. It provides a framework for effective teaching of endoscopy and emphasizes the importance of being conscious competent of one’s own colonoscopy technique when instructing others. The course is intensive, interactive, and practical.
Target Audience
The target audience includes hospital employees who meet the following criteria:
- Gastroenterologists and residents (LIS C and D) specializing in gastroenterology
- Gastrointestinal surgeons
- Physicians who perform colonoscopies as part of their daily practice
- Physicians involved in colonoscopy training or planning to do so
Course Content and Practical Implementation
The course includes hands-on experience with endoscopic procedures on patients and models, interactive lectures, and discussions. Each participant performs two colonoscopies during the course. The are transmitted with audio and video to a meeting room where the rest of the participants and instructors can observe and engage in interactive discussions. Emphasis is placed on creating a safe atmosphere.
The course takes place at the gastro lab at Rikshospitalet or Bærum Hospital, and at SimOslo. It includes scope technique, simulation of challenging teaching situations, and effective teaching methods:
Day 1: Gastro lab with skill training, where each participant performs a colonoscopy and receives feedback from an instructor.
Day 2: SimOslo with instruction in teaching and practical exercises related to teaching colonoscopy to colleagues.
Day 3: Gastro lab with skill training in colonoscopy technique and being an instructor for colleagues.
Approval – Accredited Hours
The course is approved by the DNLF for specialties in digestive diseases and gastrointestinal surgery under the category of elective courses, totaling 24 hours.
Registration
Registration is final. Due to the substantial resources required for the course, it is essential to provide prompt notice in case of cancellation. There are 5 participant slots and 1 observer slot available.
Train the Endoscopy Team Polyp Course (TET Polyp Course)
Objective and Course Content
This team course aims to teach participants about the morphology and malignant potential of polyps. Successful colon screening relies on endoscopists and nurses recognizing pathology and knowing safe methods to fully remove polyps. Participants will gain tools for quality assurance in their unit and get tips for training colleagues. The course includes team training using recognizable endoscopy-related patient scenarios.
Since 2014, the course content has been revised multiple times. Until fall 2020, it emphasized quality work and team training in endoscopy units. Starting from fall 2020, the focus shifted to polyps, polypectomy techniques, and team training.
Target Audience
The goal is to reach those who have or will have a central role in training and quality assurance in an endoscopy unit/screening center. Teamwork is crucial in endoscopy practice, especially between doctors and nurses, as the overall quality relies on the entire team. Therefore, the course is designed for both doctors and nurses.
Each screening center involved in the national screening program should have at least one nurse and one doctor who have completed the course. The course’s benefits will be maximized if a nurse and a doctor from the same gastro lab take the course simultaneously.
Organization
The course is developed by the Endoscopy School in collaboration with the Simulation Center at Oslo University Hospital (SimOslo). It is inspired by similar courses in England and experiences from colorectal screening centers at Moss and Bærum hospitals. The course is organized by the Endoscopy School in collaboration with SimOslo, OUS. Speakers and instructors are gastroenterologists and gastro-nurses affiliated with the Endoscopy School.
Approval – Accredited Hours
The course is approved by the DNLF for specialties in digestive diseases and gastrointestinal surgery: Elective courses: 16 hours. The course is also approved by the NSF as qualifying with a total of 16 hours. This can be used according to the course hour requirements in the NSF’s accreditation scheme for clinical nursing specialist/nurse specialist.
Registration
Registration is final. Due to the substantial resources required for the course, it is essential to provide prompt notice in case of cancellation. There are 18 participant slots and 1 observer slot available.
Course in Colonoscopy Technique (Upskill)
The target audience is experienced colonoscopists seeking skill enhancement. Please contact the Endoscopy School for more information.
Check the course calendar and sign up for the Train the Colonoscopy Trainers Course (KIK in Norwegian) and Train the Endoscopy Team Polyp Course (TET Polyp Course).
Booking is only available in Norwegian.
About the Endoscopy School
Objective and Tools
The primary goal of the Endoscopy School is to ensure that training in gastrointestinal endoscopy maintains high quality. Training is essential to ensure safe and efficient endoscopic examinations for patients and participants in colorectal screening.
Traditionally, training in endoscopic techniques has lacked proper structure. Expertise as an endoscopist doesn’t necessarily translate to being a skilled instructor. At the Endoscopy School, we use established teaching principles to guide both experienced and less-experienced physicians in gastrointestinal endoscopy. The goal is to improve personal technique and gain teaching skills for instructing others. These teaching principles have been adapted and expanded from the «Train the Trainers» (TTT) courses in endoscopy developed in the United Kingdom. The target audience includes doctors and nurses with clinical experience.
Our courses have four learning objectives:
• Ensure participants are skilled and confident in performing endoscopy.
• Give participants knowledge about what makes their examinations high-quality and how to improve their technical skills.
• Give participants a teaching framework for supervising in their department.
• Provide participants insight into communication that enhances learning.
Organization
The Cancer Registry is responsible for administering the Endoscopy School. The Cancer Registry is organized as a unit within the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The Endoscopy School was founded in 2014 under the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. The school has had the responsibility of enhancing and implementing teaching skills in endoscopy training nationwide since 2018.
Courses offered by the Endoscopy School:
The Endoscopy School initiated its first courses in 2014 and has since conducted courses for leaders in endoscopy units and colonoscopy instructors. The course portfolio is continually evolving and being revised. Information about available courses and registration forms are posted on endoskopiskolen.no.
ColorectalScreen Norway
The courses offered by the Endoscopy School are relevant for those involved in screening, as the effectiveness of the screening program largely depends on the quality of endoscopic activities at screening centers.