The European Diploma of Gastroenterology: progress towards harmonization of standards.

The European Diploma of Gastroenterology has now been established by the European Board of Gastroenterology (EBG) and has been awarded to several individual doctors and to training centres. The EBG is a working party of the Gastroenterology Section of the European Union of Medical Specialists. The Diploma can be awarded to individual doctors who have been recognized as specialists in their own countries; trained in approved centres; and satisfied the training criteria of the EBG. The Diploma can also be awarded as a recognition of training competence to hospitals that meet the requirements of the EBG. Hospitals seeking recognition will be visited by members of the EBG and must show evidence that they can provide adequate clinical and technical experience to trainee gastroenterologists.