SPED Newsletter

The Portuguese Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SPED) has been intimately involved in gastroenterology and endoscopy education since its early days, 30 years ago. Working side by side with her sister gastroenterology society, SPED has been setting the stage for the creation of a framework upon which training objectives, teaching skills, and clinical evaluation could be readily achieved and ensured. Furthermore, with the growing challenges in ensuring and assessing quality that endoscopists and other health care providers have been facing in the last years, many concerns have been devoted to the definition of basic components of physician's training and education, not only in endoscopic skills but also in terms of core knowledge and clinical experience. We held recently an International Symposium on Quality in Endoscopy: From Training to Practice, specifically addressing these topics, in the sequence of which a broad document was generated to establish quality indicators and practice guidelines for Portuguese endoscopists.

Understanding the major impact that the quality of input from a trainer may achieve, SPED also embrassed a couple of years ago, the Train the Trainers Project, developed by WGO-OMG and OMED, and run a memorable Course in Porto. Since then, small Symposia were held, with the same intensive and interactive format, creating interest, curiosity and specially competence, in acquiring new methodologies for teaching and training. Under the auspices of SPED, specific courses for example, devoted to residents and young fellows, address Methodology Analysis and Scientific Presentation Skills, and provide some educational tools, basic concepts and critical evaluation of scientific papers, instructions to analyse and write abstracts and articles, all features that have been gathering enthusiasm and appreciation in the young generations.

Beyond the regular promotion and certification of Endoscopy Symposia, Regional and National meetings and Hands-on-Courses that have been spreading throughout the year, a special teaching program for the younger GI residents has been carried out for basic endoscopy training, provide by the Symbionix, and for more advanced techniques with the Endotrainer.

Also, the General Practicioners have been a special target for SPED, as we believe that cognitive GI skills should be regularly and thoroughly provided by competent and experienced teachers, to upgrade the ever evolving GI and Endoscopy body of knowledge: Saturdays with GI's and Endoscopy, along with Updates in Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, are good examples of a continuous concern on this crosstalk between GPs and Endoscopy experts.

Finally, we are firmly convinced that a scientific society ,assuming global perspectives is driven into a profitable basic attitude and state of mind, available and prone to be challenged, able to learn, being capable of interaction and sharing experiences. SPED has been developing a chain of relations between its Educational Committee and the International Relations Committee, as we feel that it is crucial this international dialogue to raise standards, to promote knowledge transmission, to expand our sources of solutions for educational challenges. We are looking for bridges of communication within Europe, with our American congenerics, and also with our ancient African partners.

We are in full conviction that the Educational Project that SPED has been trying to implement, allows Portuguese gastroenterologists to have a qualified endoscopic performance, with room for changes towards the needs and new challenges, to settle and reinforce existing virtues, and establish new commitments for the future.

Guilherme Macedo MD, PhD, FACG, FASGE
SPED Vice President, Coordinator of the Educational Committee