Overview
The Colorectal EMR Course is a practical, one-day programme developed by the Saudi Gastroenterology Association in collaboration with Olympus, combining a focused didactic morning with an intensive hands-on afternoon across four parallel simulation stations. Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) is now a core skill in modern colorectal practice, offering outcomes comparable to surgery with significantly lower risk and cost. With increasing detection of large and complex polyps through national screening programmes, the demand for structured, competency-based EMR training has never been greater. Enrolment is limited to 16 participants (4 per station) to guarantee close faculty supervision throughout the hands-on sessions.
Why attend this course
- Gain practical, real-world EMR skills you can apply immediately
- Train across 4 parallel hands-on stations in small groups of 4
- Learn directly from SGA faculty and Olympus clinical specialists
- Receive individualized feedback during hands-on sessions
- Earn a Certificate of Course Completion from the SGA
What you will learn
- 1Characterise colorectal lesions using Paris, Kudo, NICE and JNET, and predict resectability.
- 2Stratify submucosal-invasion risk and correctly triage lesions to EMR, ESD, or surgery.
- 3Perform the complete EMR workflow — injection and lift, snare resection, defect evaluation, margin ablation, and tattoo.
- 4Recognise and manage bleeding and perforation, including generator settings and antithrombotic considerations.
- 5Plan post-EMR surveillance and evaluate the scar for residual or recurrent adenoma.
- 6Select strategies for difficult lesions and appropriate adjunct techniques.
Curriculum
22 modules across 6 units — 22 published, 0 in development.
Unit A · Foundations — Why EMR Matters
Unit B · Seeing Before Cutting — Lesion Assessment
- 3
Optical Diagnosis & Lesion Classification
Paris, LST, Kudo, NICE, JNET — the five languages of the lesion
35mPublished - 4
Predicting Submucosal Invasion
Red flags, the non-lifting sign, and when to STOP
25mPublished - 5
Bowel Prep, Documentation, and the Quality Substrate
Why bad prep destroys even the best technique
15mPublished
Unit C · The Science of Cutting
Unit D · The Procedure
- 9
Standard EMR Technique
Approach, geometry, snare placement, capture
25mPublished - 10
Underwater EMR (U-EMR)
Physiologic rationale, indications, and comparative outcomes
20mPublished - 11
Piecemeal EMR for Large Lesions
Systematic resection, fragmentation avoidance, checkpoint photography
30mPublished - 12
Margin Assessment & Ablation
Systematic defect inspection, snare-tip soft coag, APC — the evidence that halves recurrence
20mPublished
Unit E · The Hard Stuff — Complex Scenarios
Unit F · After the Cut — Outcomes & Quality
- 16
Bleeding — Prevention, Recognition, Management
Immediate vs delayed, prediction, the endoscopic hemostasis ladder
30mPublished - 17
Perforation — Recognition & Closure
Target sign, closure techniques, antibiotics, when to escalate
30mPublished - 18
Post-Polypectomy Coagulation Syndrome
Diagnosis, management, imaging decisions
15mPublished - 19
Histopathology — Reading the Report
Haggitt, Kikuchi, LVI, tumor budding, when surgery is triggered
20mPublished - 20
Surveillance After EMR
Interval selection, scar inspection, recurrence biology
15mPublished - 21
Documentation & Registry Quality Metrics
World-class EMR report, Sydney classification, audit for improvement
15mPublished - 22
Non-Technical Skills & Consent
Team dynamics, closed-loop communication, informed consent for high-stakes endoscopy
15mPublished
Competency-based curriculum benchmarked against JAG UK and ESGE ESD frameworks. Each module includes Bloom-tagged learning outcomes, pre-reading anchors, case-based reasoning, clinical pearls and pitfalls, and self-assessment MCQs.
Hands-on training (key highlight)
- 4 parallel hands-on simulation stations
- Small groups (4 participants per station)
- Direct supervision by SGA faculty and Olympus clinical specialists
Who should attend
- GI consultants
- Advanced endoscopy fellows
- Senior GI fellows
Course format
- Didactic morning: focused lectures on lesion assessment and EMR technique
- Hands-on afternoon: 4 parallel simulation stations, 4 participants per station