European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ESEGH) 

The ESEGH is a pan-European knowledge-based assessment for Gastroenterology and Hepatology trainees, delivered in partnership with the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK (Federation) and the British Society of Gastroenterology(BSG), based on the successful EBGH Examination and the Specialty Certificate Examination (SCE) in Gastroenterology.


The ESEGH is a high quality, reliable examination, based on a proven format, now UK (General Medical Council) Regulator approved, which is currently mandatory in the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK from 2018.

 

Registration and information:

Registration for the ESEGH will be hosted on the MRCP(UK) website (https://www.thefederation.uk/examinations/european-specialty-examination-gastroenterology-hepatology) on behalf of the ESBGH, Federation and BSG.


Registration for the ESEGH will open on 18 December 2025. Please visit the MRCP(UK) website for more information on application dates and procedure.

 

Starting in 2025, the candidates are able to sit the Exam from their homes (or their offices).

More information regarding this system can be found in the above-mentioned website.

 

Introduction:

The European Section and Board in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ESBGH) is tasked by its parent body the European Union of Medical Specialist (UEMS) "to achieve the delivery of high-quality patient care by promoting and harmonizing high standards for medical practice and postgraduate education, and thus clinical excellence".


The ESBGH has 30 full member countries, 3 associate member countries, and 11 observer countries.


The European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology is a fully validated assessment of knowledge of gastroenterology and hepatology as laid down in the European Curriculum for Gastroenterology and Hepatology Specialty Training Programme known as the "The Blue Book". The Blue Book produced by the ESBGH is in its 2017 edition and is revised every 3 to 5 years. It is available on http://www.eubogh.org

 

 

Eligibility requirements:

There are no restrictions to entry for the ESEGH. Candidates are restricted to a maximum of 6 attempts. For doctors in formal Gastroenterology and Hepatology training programs success is more likely if the exam is taken after the first year.


The remit of the ESEGH exam:

Success in this examination is a demonstration of having achieved the knowledge necessary to fulfil the requirements of the ESBGH curriculum which is a Europe-wide description of the level expected of a specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

 

Date and Venue:

The next examination will be on 08 April 2026.

Starting in 2025, the candidates are able to sit the Exam from their homes (or their offices).

The exam is delivered once a year.

 

Results:

Results will be published 4 weeks after the exam. Certificates will be posted 8 weeks after the exam

 

Resources for Candidates:

The ESBGH exam is centered on the Blue Book curriculum but will test a wide range of knowledge in gastroenterology and hepatology. Prospective candidates are expected to be widely read covering gastroenterology and hepatology textbooks, guidelines and journals. Attending international and national conferences and specialty meetings with academic content are also encouraged.

Knowledge of current European Guidelines and up-to-date recommendations for common GI and liver disease will be helpful to the candidate.

 

Recommended Reading

Textbooks

1. Oxford Handbook of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011 (S Bloom, G Webster)-Second Edition
2. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 10th Ed, 2015 (M Feldman, Laurence S Friedman)
3. Textbook of Gastroenterology, 5th Ed, 2008 (Ed T Yamada)
4. The Textbook of Hepatology, 3rd Ed, 2007 (Ed J Rodes)

 

Journals

1. GUT
2. Gastroenterology
3. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

4. UEG Journal

 

Online Resources

1. Specialty certificate examination in Gastroenterology sample MCQ – https://www.thefederation.uk/gastroenterology-sample-questions
2. British Society of Gastroenterology – Subsection ‘clinical’ and ‘guidelines’https://www.bsg.org.uk/clinical-resource?category=Guidelines
3. EASL - https://easl.eu/publications/clinical-practice-guidelines/?refmenu=science-education

4. UEG Library - https://ueg.eu/library 

5. ASGE - https://www.asge.org/home/resources/publications/guidelines
6. AGA - https://gastro.org/clinical-guidance/
7. Sign guidelines - https://www.sign.ac.uk/our-guidelines/
8. NICE - http://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance
9. up to date www.uptodate.com
10. Blue Book of Gastroenterology – https://www.eubogh.org/blue-book/

11. BMJ OnExam https://www.onexamination.com/products/esegh?srsltid=AfmBOorPub7deLJdgiwKHmueFWrc3FFfY4xRtsYbmnvRIqVGcyWYFV4y

 

Questions:

The exam will offer 200 questions in 2 three-hour examinations. The questions are in ‘best of five’ multiple-choice format. This format, in addition to testing core knowledge and comprehension, also assesses the ability to interpret information and to solve clinical problems. There will be five options - one correct answer and four alternatives to the correct answer. The four distractors will be closely related to the preferred option but less correct, therefore acting as plausible alternatives. Sample questions are available on the MRCP(UK) website ( https://www.thefederation.uk/gastroenterology-sample-questions)