Underperforming Colonoscopy Trainees, Especially Surgeons

Several studies have demonstrated that colonoscopy performed by primary care physicians and general surgeons is more likely to result in missed colorectal cancer than colonoscopy performed by gastroenterologists (JW Gastroenterol Mar 26 2010). Now, investigators have compared the quality of colonoscopy performance by trainees in gastroenterology versus surgery.

Researchers audited single-endoscopist colonoscopies performed in a single academic medical center by gastroenterology and surgical trainees with >2 years of endoscopy experience. Of 3079 colonoscopies, 1998 were performed by seven gastroenterology trainees and 1081 by six surgical trainees.

The crude completion rates were 84% for gastroenterology trainees and 78% for surgical trainees…