General Information

The Certificate in Endoscopy Technician program provides foundational training in gastrointestinal diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Students learn the operation, handling, and maintenance of specialized endoscopic equipment alongside rigorous infection control and sterilization practices. The one-year curriculum emphasizes patient safety, procedural assistance, vital signs monitoring, and clinical ethics, preparing competent technical assistants to support gastroenterology teams within healthcare facilities.

1. Course Duration: 1 Year
2. Minimum Qualification: 10+2 with Science stream
3. Course Category: PARAMEDICAL
4. Total Marks: 600 (Theory 600, 6 subjects)

Course Objectives

• Impart fundamental knowledge of gastrointestinal anatomy and common endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
• Train students in the safe operation, care, and basic maintenance of various endoscopic instruments.
• Educate learners on high-level disinfection, infection control protocols, and biological safety standards in endoscopy units.
• Develop practical competencies in patient preparation, intra-procedural assistance, and post-procedure recovery monitoring.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify structural components of the human gastrointestinal system relevant to endoscopic examination.
• Operate and handle flexible endoscopes, light sources, and imaging processors correctly.
• Apply standard disinfection and sterilization protocols to prevent cross-contamination in clinical settings.
• Assist gastroenterologists efficiently during diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures.
• Monitor patient vital signs and provide appropriate pre- and post-procedure supportive care.

Pass & Division Criteria

The maximum marks and minimum pass marks of Theory and Practical of each subject are given in the Mark Distribution table below. To pass, a candidate must score the minimum pass marks separately in both Theory and Practical of every subject.

The division is decided on the aggregate percentage of marks obtained, as follows —

Mark Distribution

Total marks of the course : 600

Detailed Syllabus

1. Introduction to Human Digestive System — Overview of primary digestive organs, structural organization, functions, and anatomical orientation relevant to gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures.
2. Oral Cavity, Pharynx, and Esophagus — Structure, length, constrictions, mucosal layers, sphincter mechanisms, and anatomical relations of the oral cavity, pharynx, and esophagus.
3. Anatomy of the Stomach — Gross anatomical features, curvatures, regions, vascular supply, histological wall layers, and gastric mucosal patterns observed during endoscopy.
4. Small Intestine Architecture — Anatomy of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, including mucosal folds, villi, blood supply, and junctional transitions pertinent to enteroscopy.
5. Large Intestine and Anal Canal — Gross morphology of cecum, colon segments, rectum, and anal canal, detailing flexures, teniae coli, and sphincter complexes.
6. Hepatobiliary System and Gallbladder — Structural organization of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, cystic duct, and common bile duct relevant to biliary interventions.
7. Pancreatic Anatomy and Ampullary Complex — Anatomy of the pancreas, main pancreatic duct, ampulla of Vater, and major duodenal papilla evaluated during duodenoscopy.
8. Peritoneal Cavity and Mesenteric Attachments — Layers of peritoneum, greater and lesser omentum, mesentery, retroperitoneal spaces, and relations with gastrointestinal organs.
9. Vascular and Nerve Supply of GI Tract — Major branches of celiac trunk, mesenteric arteries, portal venous circulation, enteric nervous system, and autonomic nerve plexuses.
10. Normal Endoscopic Landmarks and Variants — Identification of normal lumina, sphincters, mucosal transitions, folds, vascular patterns, and common benign congenital variations.

1. Overview of Endoscopy Suite Infrastructure — Structural design, room zoning, electrical configurations, vacuum supply, gas pipelines, and ergonomics of modern endoscopic processing units.
2. Components of Flexible Endoscopes — Physical architecture, control body, insertion tube, bending section, light guide connector, and internal biopsy/suction channels.
3. Endoscopy Video Processors and Light Sources — Function, setup, operation, white-balance calibration, xenon or LED light sources, video processor settings, and image adjustment controls.
4. Suction and Insufflation Systems Handling — Connection protocols, maintenance of medical suction pumps, carbon dioxide and ambient air insufflators, and irrigation bottle assemblies.
5. Leak Testing Principles and Execution — Methods of manual and automated pressure leak testing, identifying channel perforations, and leak detection protocols before reprocessing.
6. Care, Storage, and Transport of Endoscopes — Protocols for hanging storage in specialized drying cabinets, proper coiling techniques, safe transport carts, and impact prevention measures.
7. Accessories and Biopsy Forceps Handling — Inspection, assembly, and handling of diagnostic biopsy forceps, cytology brushes, snare wires, and injection needle catheters.
8. Electrosurgical Units in Endoscopy — Basic principles, monopolar and bipolar modes, grounding pad placement, generator settings, and safety checks during operative sessions.
9. Routine Preventive Maintenance and Troubleshooting — Identification of channel blockages, image distortion, articulation wire slackness, lens fogging, and scheduling preventive technical maintenance.

1. Principles of Infection Control in Endoscopy — Modes of pathogen transmission, hospital-acquired infections, standard universal precautions, and personal protective equipment protocols for technicians.
2. Pre-cleaning and Bedside Flushing Protocols — Immediate point-of-use bedside wiping, detergent flushing of suction channels, air-water channel clearing, and safe handling of contaminated scopes.
3. Manual Cleaning and Brushing Techniques — Disassembly of detachable parts, enzymatic detergent immersion, specialized channel brushing, lumen flushing, and thorough rinsing methods.
4. High-Level Disinfection Methods — Chemistry of glutaraldehyde, ortho-phthalaldehyde, peracetic acid, minimum effective concentration testing, contact times, and chemical safety considerations.
5. Automated Endoscope Reprocessors — Operating cycles, parameter programming, filter changes, validation protocols, advantages, and maintenance of automated endoscope reprocessing machines.
6. Rinsing, Drying, and Storage Standards — Alcohol flushes, forced compressed medical air drying of channels, moisture prevention, and clean hanging in HEPA-filtered storage cabinets.
7. Biological Monitoring and Surveillance Cultures — Routine microbiological surveillance, channel swab testing, water quality monitoring, threshold limits, and documentation of infection control audits.
8. Chemical, Electrical, and Fire Safety — Material safety data sheets, chemical spill management, electrical hazard prevention, fire extinguisher usage, and staff hazard prevention protocols.
9. Biomedical Waste Management in Endoscopy Suite — Color-coded segregation, disposal of single-use accessories, sharps management, biohazardous liquid effluent handling, and regulatory compliance standards.

1. Upper Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Endoscopy — Indications, patient preparation, room setup, technician assistance, and post-procedure workflow for diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedures.
2. Diagnostic Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy — Bowel preparation assessment, patient positioning, scope manipulation support, mucosal visualization assistance, and patient monitoring during colon evaluations.
3. Endoscopic Mucosal Biopsy and Cytology Assistance — Specimen acquisition, proper handling of biopsy forceps, tissue transfer techniques, preservation in formalin vials, and lab requisition labeling.
4. Hemostatic Techniques for Gastrointestinal Bleeding — Assisting with hemoclip placement, sclerotherapy needle delivery, thermal coagulation, and endoscopic band ligation during acute bleeding episodes.
5. Endoscopic Polypectomy and Mucosal Resection — Assisting with snare polypectomy, electrocautery settings, submucosal injection delivery, specimen retrieval, and post-polypectomy observation requirements.
6. Foreign Body Removal Procedures — Selection and handling of retrieval baskets, snares, grasping forceps, overtubes, and protocol management during emergent esophageal extractions.
7. Stricture Dilation and Stenting Techniques — Assisting with Savary-Gilliard bougie dilators, controlled radial expansion balloons, guidewires, and enteral self-expanding metal stent deployments.
8. Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Placement — Setup of sterile field, pull-and-push technique assistance, transillumination verification, tube fixation, and post-procedure site care.
9. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Basics — Fluoroscopy suite preparation, cannulation catheters, sphincterotomes, stone extraction baskets, balloon catheters, and plastic stent placement assistance.
10. Emergency Response and Post-Procedure Recovery — Monitoring vital signs, recognizing adverse events like perforation or bleeding, recovery area handoff, and documentation protocols.

1. Introduction to Patient Care in Endoscopy — Covering basic principles of patient-centered care, patient communication, role of the technician, and orientation to the endoscopy suite environment.
2. Pre-Procedure Assessment and Preparation — Focusing on patient identification, checking fasting status, reviewing medical history, validating consent forms, and preparing psychological readiness for endoscopic interventions.
3. Patient Positioning for Endoscopic Procedures — Describing optimal positioning techniques including left lateral, supine, and prone positions for upper GI, colonoscopy, and ERCP while ensuring comfort.
4. Vital Signs Monitoring Techniques — Covering continuous monitoring and recording of pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation using multi-parameter monitors.
5. Conscious Sedation and Anesthesia Monitoring — Learning pharmacology of sedation agents, airway assessment, depth of sedation monitoring using standard scoring systems, and monitoring potential complications.
6. Intra-Procedure Patient Assistance — Detailing technician responsibilities during active procedures, monitoring patient discomfort, maintaining airway patency, and assisting with bite block insertion.
7. Post-Procedure Recovery and Observation — Focusing on monitoring patients in the recovery room, recognizing vasovagal episodes, evaluating discharge criteria using the Aldrete scoring system.
8. Emergency Management and Resuscitation — Covering identification and management of emergencies such as respiratory depression, cardiac arrest, bleeding, and perforations, including basic life support protocols.
9. Patient Safety and Fall Prevention — Addressing safety measures during patient transfers, preventing bed falls, safe handling of frail or elderly patients, and secure stretcher transport.
10. Clinical Documentation and Handover — Detailing accurate recording of vitals, procedure notes, medication logs, biopsy tracking, and structured nursing handover communication before final discharge.

1. Endoscopy Suite Orientation and Clinical Protocols — Orienting students to department layouts, traffic patterns, zone divisions, biomedical equipment safety, and clinical operational guidelines in an active hospital.
2. Aseptic Techniques and Infection Control Practice — Reviewing standard precautions, universal personal protective equipment protocols, hand hygiene standards, and airborne or bloodborne pathogen safety measures during rounds.
3. Clinical Reprocessing and High-Level Disinfection — Covering endoscope cleaning protocols, automated endoscope reprocessors, enzymatic cleaning, leak testing procedures, and chemical disinfectant monitoring in clinical settings.
4. Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Room Setup — Studying setup and workflow for diagnostic gastroscopy, patient preparation, accessory organization, and technician duties during active upper endoscopy procedures.
5. Lower Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Workflow — Focusing on preparation for colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, managing bowel preparation quality assessment, handling accessories, and supporting the endoscopist clinically.
6. Clinical Biopsy and Specimen Management — Learning techniques for obtaining, preserving, labeling, documenting, and transferring tissue samples, cytology brushes, and fluid aspirates to pathology laboratories.
7. Advanced Endoscopic Procedures Workflow — Exploring specialized clinical setups for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound, enteroscopy, and endoscopic mucosal resection in advanced units.
8. Endoscopic Hemostasis and Emergency Interventions — Understanding the management of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, assembling hemoclips, sclerotherapy needles, band ligators, and thermal coagulation devices during emergencies.
9. Preventive Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting — Detailing daily inspection of endoscopes, light sources, insufflators, video processors, troubleshooting image problems, and logging service maintenance records.
10. Ethics, Medico-Legal Issues, and Clinical Audit — Covering informed consent protocols, patient confidentiality, medical negligence prevention, accurate record maintenance, and participation in clinical safety audits.