Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Clinical Practices
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,
Teaching staff
For specific questions regarding course content, exercises, assessment activities, etc.:
- Course Coordinators: Dr Joan Gornals - jbgornals@uic.es and Dr Carme Loras - cloras@uic.es
For general questions regarding the programme, enrolment, payments, etc.:
- Master’s Programme Office: Sonia Sánchez - mastersmedicina@uic.es
Introduction
The healthcare services sector in the 21st century is one of the fields undergoing the most significant changes and innovation. Technological advances are particularly noteworthy, with the incorporation of specific applications aimed at improving diagnostic imaging, minimally invasive interventions, therapeutic procedures, and healthcare management.
Endoscopic Ultrasonography (EUS), as a diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic procedure, is one of these major advances. The emergence of this advanced digestive endoscopy technique has created a significant training challenge within the medical community. Training in EUS requires knowledge from different medical specialties, including gastroenterology, oncology, general and digestive surgery, and radiology, as well as specific training in echo-anatomy and practical sessions in a recognised referral unit under the supervision of an experienced mentor.
International guidelines, including those of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), discourage self-directed learning and recommend rotations in referral centres and participation in specialised courses. However, the availability of specific training courses in EUS remains limited.
Therefore, the development and design of specialised EUS training courses is justified in order to provide an academic response to the growing demand for training in this endoscopic technique, which involves a demanding learning curve.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION OF PARTICULAR INTEREST
- Start date: The clinical training period begins on Monday, 1 March 2027 at 4:30 p.m.
IMPORTANT: There will be no live procedures on the morning of Monday, 1 March. - Duration of the practical training period: 2 calendar weeks, from Monday, 1 March to Friday, 12 March 2027.
- Location of the welcome session and afternoon seminars: UIC University Campus in Sant Cugat (Barcelona).
- How to get there: From Barcelona, take the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) train. The most central station is Plaça Catalunya. Take the S1-Terrassa line and get off at Hospital General station. The Campus is located in a building adjacent to the hospital.
- Opening session: Dr Carme Loras (tutor), a UIC representative, and Dr JB Gornals (Academic Director).
- Group allocation: During the afternoon of 1 March, students will be organised into groups of 5 and allocated among the 4 hospitals in the Barcelona area where procedures will take place each morning.
- Procedures (mornings): Every morning, except Monday, 1 March, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., procedures will take place at 4 centres: Sant Pau-BCN, Can Ruti-Badalona, Mútua-Terrassa, and Bellvitge-L’Hospitalet.
- Transport from the hospitals to the UIC Sant Cugat Campus: Transfer services (taxis) will be provided from Bellvitge, Can Ruti (Badalona), and Sant Pau to the UIC Sant Cugat Campus. Expected schedule: departure at 2:00 p.m. and arrival at approximately 2:30 p.m.
- Lunch: On the opening day, UIC will provide meal tickets/vouchers for lunch at the dining facilities of the UIC University Campus in Sant Cugat.
- Seminars (afternoons): Practical seminars will be held every afternoon from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the classrooms of the UIC University Campus (Sant Cugat). They will be delivered by the course faculty and internationally renowned guest speakers.
- Closing session: Friday, 12 March, at the UIC Sant Cugat Campus. Each student group will present clinical cases, followed by a keynote lecture delivered by an international guest speaker. Light refreshments will be served afterwards at the Sant Cugat Campus.
En cas que l'alumne procedeixi d'una localitat o país diferent de la ubicació de l'activitat presencial, l'alumne assumirà les despeses de viatges com les d'allotjament. Tot i que des de la Universitat es facilitarà el llistat d'Hotels amb una localització senzilla per a logístiques d'aquells dies.
És responsabilitat de l'alumne la planificació del viatge i l'hotel segons la superació de les assignatures. En cas que un alumne NO superi el mínim requerit per realitzar l'assignatura pràctica i es presenti en les dues setmanes presencials, la realització de pràctiques quedarà totalment prohibida i la Universitat ni la Direcció del títol se'n responsabilitzarà.
És responsabilitat de l'alumne la planificació del viatge i l'hotel segons la superació de les assignatures. En cas que un alumne NO superi el mínim requerit per realitzar l'assignatura pràctica i es presenciï en les dues setmanes presencials, la realització de pràctiques quedarà totalment prohibida i la Universitat ni la Direcció del títol se'n responsabilitzarà
Pre-course requirements
Students must have successfully completed at least 4 of the 6 previous theoretical courses in order to undertake this practical course.
- If a student fails or does not attend 2 of these 6 courses, the Master’s Programme Management will assess the most appropriate option for the student to complete a new assessment activity as a second attempt only for the affected courses, thereby enabling the student to undertake the practical course. This new assessment activity will be graded as 0 if failed, 5 if passed, or NS if not submitted. In the latter case (NS), the Programme Management reserves the right to assess the individual circumstances and determine the final resolution regarding the student’s academic record, as students are required to complete and pass ALL assessments and courses in order to obtain the qualification.
- Students who fail to meet the minimum requirement of 4 successfully completed courses will not be eligible for a second attempt in any of the failed courses. This will require full re-enrolment in the programme in the following academic year, in accordance with the fees established for that academic year.
Objectives
The aim of these seminars is to review all the content delivered online from a practical perspective, through the analysis of images and videos based on clinical cases, while encouraging active interaction between faculty and students.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- Acquire basic knowledge of the EUS technique: indications, limitations, and associated medical conditions.
- Interpret EUS images and develop clinical judgment. Engage in direct interaction and discussion with EUS experts.
- Begin practical training in EUS and apply the knowledge acquired through in-person seminars and live cases.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Acquisition of the knowledge covered during the course through a highly practical and interactive format, based on clinical discussions of real-life cases.
Syllabus
This course is equivalent to 6 ECTS credits and is delivered online from 01/03/2027 to 12/03/2027.
- Theoretical seminars*
- Introduction. Basic principles, equipment, instruments, echo-anatomy, and reporting.
- Needle workshop. Mediastinum, upper gastrointestinal tract, sonoelastography, and contrast-enhanced imaging.
- Extra-digestive pathology, puncture techniques, and miscellaneous topics.
- Subepithelial lesions and biliopancreatic pathology.
- Drainage procedures and therapeutic techniques.
- Discussion and closing session.
- Clinical case webinars.*
- Clinical placements at:
- Hospital Universitari Sant Pau.
- Hospital Universitari Mútua de Terrassa.
- Hospital Universitari Bellvitge.
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Can Ruti.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Live procedures will take place every morning, except Monday, 1 March, at 4 leading university hospitals in the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Practical clinical seminars will be held every afternoon, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the classrooms of the UIC University Campus in Sant Cugat.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Assessment for this course is on-site and practical.
In order to pass the course, students must attend more than 90% of the scheduled seminars and activities and actively participate in the technical, clinical, and case discussion sessions.
Assessment will be based on attendance, engagement in the activities, participation in seminars, reasoned discussion of clinical cases, and the practical integration of the knowledge acquired during the online courses.
Failure to pass the practical component will result in failure of the course. Specific instructions, monitoring criteria, and assessment requirements will be communicated at the beginning of the practical block.
Due to operational and logistical requirements involving the hospital centres that make the clinical rotations possible, there will be no second assessment opportunity for this course under any circumstances. Therefore, if the course is failed, the student will be required to re-enrol only in the failed course in the following academic year and pay the corresponding fee again in accordance with the rates applicable to that academic year.
Bibliography and resources
It is detailed in the documentation provided for the course.