The European Certification for Doctors in

Training-a possible model

• Dr Ian Barrison
• President European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Associate Dean Postgraduate Medicine University of Hertfordshire
Topics
• The Blue Book
• The Examination-supporting structures,example questions,subject
areas
• The Examination-analysis of results
• Candidate feedback
The European Specialist Examination in
Gastroenterology and Hepatology-(ESEGH)
Blue Book Compilation
• http://www.eubogh.org/blue-book
Status of the Examination in Europe
• First to receive approval from UEMS and the UK Regulator-the
General Medical Council
ESEGH Supporting Structures

• Collaboration
What is the Examination?
European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ESEGH)
The ESEGH is a pan-European knowledge-based assessment for Gastroenterology and
Hepatology trainees, delivered in partnership with the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians
of the UK (Federation) and the British Society of Gastroenterology(BSG), based on the
successful EBGH Examination and the Specialty Certificate Examination (SCE) in
Gastroenterology.

The ESEGH is a high quality, reliable examination, based on a proven format, now UK (General
Medical Council) Regulator approved, which is currently mandatory in the Netherlands,
Switzerland and the UK from 2018.

Registration and information:

Registration for the ESEGH will be hosted on the MRCP(UK) website
(https://www.mrcpuk.org/mrcpuk-examinations/euro-specialty-examinations/esegh) on behalf of
the ESBGH, Federation and BSG.

Registration for the ESEGH will open on 19 December 2018. Please visit the MRCP(UK)
website for more information on application dates and procedure.
Conferences
•American Association for the Study of Liver Journals
Diseases (AASLD) •Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
•British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) •European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
•Digestive Disease Week (DDW) •Gastroenterology
•European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) •Gut
•Regional Society meetings •Journal of Hepatology
•United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEG) •Lancet
•New England Journal of Medicine
•Young GI Talent Group
The Young Talent Group promotes junior physicians and
researchers working in the field of gastroenterology.
In collaboration with UEG committees, the group members
develop initiatives for young specialists, such as the Young GI
Network at UEG Week or the Visiting Fellowship Programmes.
ESEGH Committees
• Question Writing Group-8 ESBGH Representatives
• Standard Setting Group-2
• Examination Board-3
Sample Questions
• Five part stem
• One correct answer
Entries to the European
Examination
450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Allergology and Immunology 62

Cardiology 317

Dermatology 61

Emergency Medicine 309(Parts A &B)

Renal 72

Neurology 62

Nuclear Medicine 26

Gastroenterology 413
ESBGH Examination promotion
• ESBGH delegates
• National Societies
• Young GI network
• UEG
• EJD
• Chairs of National Training Committees
• National Journals
ESEGH Examination report
2018
1. The 2018 European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology was sat on 18
April 2018.

o The 2018 examination is the first sitting of a joint examination where the Specialty Certificate
Examination (SCE) in Gastroenterology and the European Section and Board of
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Examination (ESBGHE) became a single examination
which will be referred to as the European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and
Hepatology (ESEGH).

o The examination was conducted using Computer Based Testing, at Pearson Vue test centres in
the UK and around the world.

o The examination consisted of two sessions of 3 hours. During each session candidates
answered 100 best-of-five questions, which were displayed in a random order. A total of 413
candidates completed both sessions.

o For this examination 112 questions were new i.e. they had not been pre-tested or used before
and 88 items were re-used from a previous diets. The selected questions were standard-set
before the examination using the modified Angoff’s method of criterion referencing to
produce a pass-mark.

o All 200 questions were scored for this examination.

 The pass mark is set at 60% (120/200)
 This results in a pass rate for all candidates of 67.3%
(278/413)
 UK trainees pass rate is 83% (146/176)
 European centres (UK excluded) pass rate 73.9% (65/88)
Performance of candidates

• The group of 413 candidates had a mean score of 62.4% (S.D. = 9), with a
range of 31.5% to 82.5%.
• 176 candidates declared that they are trained in the UK and their scores have
a mean of 65.5% and S.D. = 6.9 (range between 40% and 79%).
• 88 candidates sat in European centres other than in the UK, their mean score
was 64.3% (S.D. = 8.1), with a range of 42% to 82.5%.