Teaching and Training - Gastroenterology Service

Teaching is also a priority for the Gastroenterology Department, and teaching activities are carried out in the following areas:

The fourth-year course on Digestive System Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona, coordinated by Dr Leticia Moreira and Dr Miguel Pera.  The Department's staff actively participate in this subject, both in teaching classes, theoretical seminars, practical seminars and case discussions, and in rotating through the Department's various units (hospital ward, outpatient clinic and digestive endoscopy) during practical training.

The main activity focuses on the training programme for resident doctors (MIR), both in the same specialty and in others at the hospital.

Specifically, the Department is responsible (in association with the Hepatology Department) for the ongoing training of 16 residents (4 residents per year for 4 years). The fact that the Department has its own hospital beds, an Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Unit exclusively for patients with digestive and liver diseases, and one of the busiest digestive endoscopy units in the country, enables residents to acquire extensive clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive and liver diseases and to obtain comprehensive training in the treatment of all digestive and liver pathologies, regardless of their severity, which is an additional factor of great importance for their training as specialists.

Finally, the Department has a long tradition of clinical research into digestive diseases, which has made it a centre of recognized prestige both nationally and internationally. This means that Digestive System residents receive training not only in the context of a high level of care, but also at a high scientific and research level, which represents an important added value to their training as specialists in the Digestive System.

The Department welcomes and trains external residents in the specialty:

Postgraduate teaching activities for external medical staff include short-stay programmes (3-6 months) aimed at specific training in the different areas of the specialty. Long-stay programmes (1-2 years) are also offered, aimed at providing more extensive and comprehensive training in digestive system diseases and highly complex endoscopy.

Training stays are also offered for nursing staff in the areas of High-Risk Digestive Cancer Clinic and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Professionals from the Department participate as lecturers in the University Master's Degree in Advanced Medical Skills at the University of Barcelona, where they teach the specialty 'Advanced Digestive Endoscopy and Therapy'. It is the only master's degree of its kind in Spain.

The Gastroenterology Department organizes on an annual basis courses on specific topics in the areas of the High Risk Clinic for Colorectal Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (imaging techniques). It also organizes the following courses on a stable basis:

• Interactive Course on Special Techniques in Digestive Endoscopy and Imaging in Colon
• Endoscopy training course for residents and collaborating doctors
• Theoretical and practical course in Endoscopic Ultrasound
• Theoretical and practical course of Capsule Endoscopic and Enteroscopy

At the same time, courses are organized for nursing staff and assistants:

• Digestive Endoscopy course for nursing graduates
• Digestive Endoscopy theoretical and practical workshop for nursing assistants