Training for complex endoscopic procedures: how to incorporate endoscopic submucosal dissection skills in the West?

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been employed for removal of early neoplastic gastrointestinal lesions and has well-documented higher en bloc and curative resection rates compared with endoscopic mucosal resection. Based on these advantages, ESD has gained widespread use in Asia but unfortunately not in the West. The main obstacles remain the very flat learning curve and lack of training resources. In Asia, ESD skills are acquired in the time-honored mentor/apprentice model over a period of few years. This algorithm cannot be directly applied in the West due to substantial differences. Can we train Western endoscopists in ESD in a model that bridges the gap between the traditional approach that requires years to gain proficiency and the weekend crash course approach that does not do justice to our patients? We propose a training algorithm that would guide the ESD training of Western endoscopists in a way to reliably deliver high-quality end product.