Build your gastroenterology and hepatology reasoning for ESEGH.

Choose a topic for focused revision and check your plan against the official specification.

• Liver disorders
• Inflammatory bowel disease and colonic disorders
• Small intestinal disorders
• Stomach and duodenal disorders
• Biliary tree
• Oesophageal disorders
• Pancreatic disorders
• Other — mouth and salivary glands, endoscopy, physiology, investigations, symptoms and anal disorders
• GI haemorrhage
• Nutrition

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.

1. Blue Book vs BSG vs UK SCE legacy — older revision sources teach UK SCE Gastro content from before 2018. ESEGH tests pan-European Blue Book content, which includes wider hepatology (e.g. PBC/PSC variants, autoimmune hepatitis sub-classification, transplant indications).
2. IBD therapies — distinguish treatment mechanisms, indications and monitoring requirements using current specialty reference resources; do not rely on a drug-class label alone.
3. NAFLD vs MASLD vs MetALD — the new Delphi nomenclature changed terminology in 2023. Many resources still use the old NAFLD/NASH framing.
4. Endoscopy quality and post-polypectomy surveillance — BSG 2020 surveillance guidance shortened many intervals. Older revision banks have outdated intervals.
5. Image interpretation — include endoscopy, histology and radiology in your revision. The published blueprint distributes topics across both papers without specifying a heavier second paper.
6. Statistics in GI trials — NNT for IBD biologics, hazard ratios in HCC immunotherapy trials, non-inferiority interpretation. Under-prepared by many candidates.
7. Pancreatic NETs and gastrointestinal NETs — grading (G1/G2/G3), functional vs non-functional, Ki-67 thresholds. Small but consistently tested.

An example revision schedule to adapt to your exam date and available study time.

1. Weeks 1–6

   Build coverage across the 10 published blueprint domains. Use specialty questions and explanations, then take difficult reasoning to Tutor. Pair endoscopy and histology interpretation with your reference resources.

2. Weeks 7–11

   Targeted weak-area drilling. Map every current BSG guideline (IBD biologics 2024, anticoagulation in endoscopy 2021, dyspepsia 2023, post-polypectomy surveillance) and key EASL recommendations (HCC, PBC, autoimmune hepatitis).

3. Weeks 12–14

   Use the Paper 1 and Paper 2 mock options: 100 questions and three hours per paper. Review incorrect answers and distinguish first-attempt performance from repeat-question accuracy.

4. Weeks 15–16

   Revisit flagged questions and the domains you have under-practised. Confirm your test-centre booking and examination instructions with the Federation.

Dedicated ESEGH question practice with answer explanations, guided Tutor review and study planning.

• Focused question practice — Choose the relevant bank and use your answers to identify what to study next.
• Guided reasoning — Explore a difficult answer with Tutor, then apply the distinction independently.
• Review and timed practice — Return to important mistakes and choose a timed practice set where available.

Choose the relevant bank and use the official exam guidance to plan your preparation.

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.

Next ESEGH sitting: 7 April 2027. Applications: 16 December 2026–13 January 2027. Applications open and close at 08:00 UK local time. Confirm booking and delivery arrangements with the Federation.

200 best-of-five questions across two papers of 100 questions. Each paper lasts three hours. The examination is computer-based at a test centre, with no negative marking. Blueprint topics are distributed across both papers.

The Federation references the European Gastroenterology and Hepatology curriculum (Blue Book). Its published ESEGH blueprint gives the indicative 10-domain examination distribution. UK candidates should also consult the current UK specialty curriculum and specialty reference resources.

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.

Full ESEGH bank access is included in all-access. Up to 10 new sample questions per day are shared across exams, with no account required. A verified free account includes one guided Tutor session; continued Tutor use is included in all-access.