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From January 2018 the SCE Gastroenterology and the European Board exam merged into ESEGH — the GMC-mandated knowledge assessment for UK gastroenterology trainees. Full Blue Book 2017 curriculum coverage, BSG and EASL guidance, and an AI-adaptive question bank with embedded image bank for endoscopy and histology recognition.
100 best-of-five SBAs · 3 hours · delivered via MRCP(UK) online portal or in-centre (in-centre from June 2026)
100 best-of-five SBAs · 3 hours · same day, after a 1-hour break · image-heavy (endoscopy, histology, imaging)
The Blue Book 2017 (revised every 3–5 years) — UEMS-approved pan-European Gastroenterology and Hepatology curriculum. Available at eubogh.org.
Mandatory for CCT in Gastroenterology in the UK (from 2018), the Netherlands and Switzerland. Open to candidates worldwide.
2026/01 sitting: 8 April 2026. Application window: 17 December 2025 – 14 January 2026. Reasonable adjustment deadline: 22 January 2026. Registration opens 18 December 2025 on the MRCP(UK) website. Results released approximately 6 weeks after the exam. From June 2026 sittings are delivered in centre.
Approximate question distribution across the Blue Book 2017 curriculum. The exam covers eight major domains; ratios drawn from the published Blue Book blueprint and the ESBGH question writing framework.
Drawn from the Blue Book 2017 curriculum, current BSG/EASL/UEG guidelines and item density in iatroX.
Liver — viral hepatitis B (entecavir, TDF, TAF in pregnancy), hepatitis C DAAs (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir), HCC surveillance per EASL/AASLD, hepatic encephalopathy grading and rifaximin/lactulose
IBD biologics — TNFi (infliximab, adalimumab), vedolizumab, ustekinumab, IL-23 (risankizumab, mirikizumab), JAK (tofacitinib, upadacitinib), S1P (ozanimod, etrasimod). Sequencing per BSG 2024 IBD guidance, perianal Crohn's management
Variceal bleeding — terlipressin + antibiotics, band ligation as first-line, TIPSS criteria, balloon tamponade as bridge. Pre-primary, primary and secondary prophylaxis
Acute and chronic pancreatitis — Atlanta classification, RAC vs early necrosectomy, AIP IgG4 criteria, ERCP indications and post-ERCP pancreatitis prophylaxis (rectal indomethacin)
Coeliac disease — HLA-DQ2/DQ8, anti-tTG and EMA, duodenal biopsy Marsh staging, refractory coeliac type I vs II, EATL recognition
Endoscopy — pre-procedure anticoagulation pathways (BSG 2021), JAG colonoscopy quality metrics (CIR ≥90%, ADR ≥15%), post-polypectomy surveillance per BSG/PHE
NAFLD / MASLD — terminology shift, FIB-4 and ELF scoring, when to refer, resmetirom and the emerging therapeutic landscape
GI cancer staging and screening — Barrett's surveillance intervals, colorectal cancer fast-track referral, BSG 2023 dyspepsia/H. pylori pathway
Observations from UK gastroenterology trainees and recent ESEGH candidates (146 UK trainees sat the 2022 paper). Verify against current Blue Book and BSG guidance.
Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.
A pragmatic phased approach used by recent UK passers in ST5–ST6 gastroenterology.
A live item from the iatroX bank. Try it before launching a full session.
A patient with UC is started on ciclosporin rescue therapy for steroid-refractory ASUC. If ciclosporin achieves a response what oral agent should be started for maintenance before ciclosporin is stopped?
Why iatroX is built differently for ESEGH (Gastroenterology Specialty Exam).
Every iatroX item is tagged to a blueprint topic, so your performance dashboard mirrors the structure of the exam itself.
The engine surfaces your weakest topics first, in real time, instead of marching you through a static syllabus.
Incorrect items return at increasing intervals to interrupt the forgetting curve and lock knowledge into long-term memory.
Timed full-length simulations that mirror the official exam structure under realistic conditions.
One iatroX subscription includes the ESEGH (Gastroenterology Specialty Exam) bank plus every other premium iatroX exam bank.
Cancel anytime · 30-day money-back guarantee on annual
From January 2018 the UK SCE in Gastroenterology and the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Examination merged into a single exam: the European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ESEGH). It is the GMC-approved mandatory summative knowledge assessment for UK gastroenterology trainees and is also mandatory in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The 2026/01 sitting is 8 April 2026. The application window is 17 December 2025 to 14 January 2026, with registration opening on 18 December 2025 via the MRCP(UK) website. Results are released approximately 6 weeks after the exam.
Two papers of 100 best-of-five SBAs each, three hours per paper, sat on the same day with a one-hour break between. Total 200 questions. From June 2026 all sittings are in-centre at designated test locations rather than via remote online proctoring.
The Blue Book 2017 — the UEMS-approved pan-European curriculum produced by ESBGH. The Blue Book is revised every 3–5 years and is freely available at eubogh.org. UK candidates should also be familiar with the JRCPTB Gastroenterology specialty curriculum and current BSG guidelines.
For candidates sitting in ESBGH/ESENeph member, associate member and observer countries the fee is €800. UK fee is £700; international fee is £875. Fees are non-refundable after the application closing date.
A maximum of 6 attempts. Most UK trainees sit during ST5 or ST6. Success rates are higher when candidates take the exam after their first year of formal gastroenterology training.
Yes. A single iatroX subscription (£29/month or £99/year for UK users; $29/$99 elsewhere) includes the ESEGH bank alongside every other premium iatroX exam bank. No add-ons or per-exam fees.
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Reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP · Last reviewed 12 May 2026
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