Thomas Marjot - Best of Five MCQS for the European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology

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ISBN 9780198834373

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DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198834373.001.0001

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Dedicated to Professor Satish Keshavclinician, academic, mentor, and friend. He taught us all how to think outside the box.

For many trainees and colleagues, the European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ESEGH) will represent the last in a seemingly endless series of formal examinations required to navigate a career in Medicine. It will also appear a particularly daunting task, with the ESEGH designed to cover the full range and breadth of gastrointestinal and liver pathology. Furthermore, the exams best of five multiple choice questions are notoriously difficult, pushing candidates to pick the most correct answer from a series of plausible options. To survive the examination and emerge victorious therefore requires a combination of composure, experience, clinical problem-solving, and a solid grasp of first principles. Therefore, the value of a comprehensive, tailor-made resource such as this textbook cannot be overstated.

This book has been compiled by Specialist Registrars affiliated with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, who are no strangers to the rigors of post-graduate exams. The authors have drawn on this collective experience to produce the first dedicated textbook to assist candidates in their preparation for the ESEGH. The book has been meticulously assembled to ensure that all relevant domains of the curriculum are covered and that the weighting of questions on each topic precisely matches the proportions found in the examination itself. The questions are engaging, being based on real-life clinical scenarios which have all required specialist input and decision making. Some questions are relatively straight forward, but many I found challenging! However, each answer helpfully includes a summary of the key learning points, alongside a concise explanation that walks the reader through the necessary background information. In addition, the book has clearly been written for the broad European audience, with all the answers rooted in the most up-to-date European guidelines.

Writing a textbook is a mammoth undertaking, which is why as a former President both of the British Society of Gastroenterology and of the Royal College of Physicians, it is particularly satisfying to see Specialist Registrars work together to produce such a high-quality resource, for the wider benefit of their trainee colleagues.

I have no doubts that you will find this book an extremely useful and enjoyable read, and I wish you all the best, both in the examination and in your future careers as Specialists in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. You will not regret your career choice (or indeed your use of this book!)

Sir Ian Gilmore

Former President of Royal College of Physicians of London

Former President of British Society of Gastroenterology

Director, Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research

Chairman, Alcohol Health Alliance UK

In 2018, the European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology & Hepatology (ESEGH) came into force, merging the Specialty Certificate Examination (SCE) in the UK with the European Section and Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Examination (ESBGH). This aimed to unify and improve standards of practice across Europe, and completing the exam now demonstrates that sufficient knowledge has been acquired to fulfil the requirements of a specialist in gastroenterology and hepatology according to a curriculum agreed upon across the continent. The exam involves 200 Best of Five multiple-choice questions, meaning that several of the choices may be plausible but only one is the best answer. Successfully answering this type of question is challenging and requires synthesis of basic knowledge, experience, data analysis, and clinical problem solving. Practice, as always, is crucial and we therefore aimed to produce a valuable tool for all trainees revising for the exam, as well as international reference material for other professionals working in gastroenterology and hepatology.

This is the first question book specifically designed to help prepare for the ESEGH. It contains 300 original Best of Five multiple-choice questions covering the breath of the European curriculum. Furthermore, the composition of the book exactly matches the proportion of questions for each curriculum area found in the exam. For example, the ESEGH contains 20% questions on hepatology, 10% on small intestinal disorders, 8% on pancreatic disorders, and so on, and therefore the same proportions of questions for each topic area are reflected in the book. Each question is accompanied by an answer, a set of succinct bullet points of key take-home messages and a short summary of the relevant background, evidence base and up-to-date European guidelines. The book ends with a chapter of 50 questions designed to act as a mock examination for use in the final stages of preparation. Questions have been contributed by 15 UK specialty trainees in Oxford, many of whom have successfully passed the former UK Specialty Certificate Examination or the ESEGH itself. All questions were scrutinized by senior editors, Professor Simon Travis, Dr Aminda de Silva, and Dr Jeremy Cobbold who deserve particular thanks for their invaluable advice and guidance throughout the writing and editing process. We would also like to thank the broader gastroenterology and hepatology consultant body at the John Radcliffe Hospital who have supported trainees in their question contributions, and the radiology and histology department team who have sourced many of the images included in the book.