WGO
To establish and nurture core training centers for primary and advanced gastroenterology (GI) training in locations of need, thereby, improving the standard of training at a grass roots level while ensuring a focus on regionally-relevant diseases.
The promotion of the highest standards in training for, and the practice of, gastroenterology are central to the activities of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO). Our Training Centers program serves to increase the standard of delivery of digestive health care by increasing the number of digestive health care workers and their expertise.
While the view is global, the developing world is the particular focus, especially areas where access to high-quality training in gastroenterology remains problematic. By collaborating with local GI units, Member Societies and government bodies, WGO facilitates the establishment of expert faculty for training courses, provides ongoing mentoring of curriculum and outcome, contributes to the collection of funds to support training centers and provides specialist input into the development and standardization of core curricula.
Training Centers have been developed in the core areas where new digestive healthcare workers are trained. The centers are supported by the development of a core curriculum and a common evaluation methodology for all centers complimented by locally relevant aspects. Linkage of the centers through a virtual network increases the dissemination of knowledge.
In addition to training new providers, the Training Centers serve as locations to increase the expertise of existing digestive disease health care providers.
Successful centers have the following major features:
The WGO Training Center mission is to establish and nurture core training centers for primary and advanced gastroenterology and liver training in locations of need, thereby improving the standard of training at a grass roots level while ensuring a focus on regionally-relevant diseases. One of the ways identified to support WGO in this mission is the direct establishment of the Scholar and Trainee Funding Program at the WGO Training Centers. The WGO Grants Funding Program offers financial support to allow a trainee the greater means to attend longer training at WGO Training Center, increasing the learning opportunities and outcomes for GI education in low resource regions. The Training Center Directors themselves have the ability to nominate distinguished trainees at their centers for the prestigious title of WGO Scholar or Trainee. The title of “WGO Trainee” is used to designate any honored trainee awarded WGO funding that is training for less than 12 months. The designation of “WGO Scholar” is awarded to those individuals that are completing 12 months or more of training at that WGO TC. WGO Scholars have the additional distinction of receiving travel support if they wish to present their research at a WGO meeting. In the inaugural year of this program, 2016, the WGO Training Centers nominated 11 exceptional Trainees and 4 Scholars that have expressed a wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field of gastroenterology at a WGO Training Center. To learn more about these first year Scholar and Trainee Funding winners, please see the Scholar and Trainee article in the second issue of the 2016 e-WGN. The application opens once per year in early fall for funding the following year. If you are attending a WGO Training Center and interested in learning more about the current application policy, please contact the Training Center director for further information.
Through the linkages with our WGO Member Societies, the Training Centers have been able to access resources which might otherwise not have been available to them. The WGO Member Societies have also very generously facilitated, endorsed, and helped fund involvement of their members as faculty at various courses which have been held at the Training Centers.
