Japan's EUS training has no standard curriculum.

Doctors use endoscopic ultrasound, or EUS, to look inside the body and treat digestive diseases. It works by attaching an ultrasound probe to a thin, flexible tube that goes down the digestive tract to create detailed internal images. However, doctors in Japan learn this technique mostly through local apprenticeships, and training varies widely from hospital to hospital. Researchers surveyed hospitals across Japan to find out how they teach these procedures. They found that hospitals lack a standard training path. Rules for when a trainee can begin vary sharply everywhere. Complex treatments are usually reserved for senior doctors with more than 10 years of experience. Hospitals reported big teaching problems: too few cases, worries about medical complications, and an absence of practice models. In fact, only three institutions permanently owned dedicated phantom practice models. The authors conclude that Japan needs standardized training programs and better simulation tools.

Why it matters

For doctors learning endoscopic ultrasound in Japan, the quality of training depends entirely on which hospital they train at. This inconsistency affects patient safety, especially for complex procedures like EUS-guided sampling and interventional EUS, where errors can be serious. A standardized curriculum and simulation tools could reduce risk and train more skilled practitioners.

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