The European experience-current use of simulator training in Europe

Diagnostic and interventional endoscopy has undergone an enormous evolution and refinement in the past 2 decades. Consequently, the requirement of skill sets for endoscopists increased and a need for training and education have become clear. Since the mid-1990s, different training simulators have been developed. This article describes the status of endoscopy training in Europe and the current use of simulators in various European countries. Several working groups have developed and established various simulators and training platforms for nearly all diagnostic and interventional techniques. Therefore, the availability of different training simulators is not unexpected in most European countries.