Training mid-career internists to perform high-quality colonoscopy: a pilot training programme to meet increasing demands for colonoscopy.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA. Despite a recent rise in CRC screening there remains an increasing demand for colonoscopy, yet a limited supply of gastroenterologists who can meet this need.

Objective: To determine if a mid-career general internist (GIN) could be trained to perform high-quality colonoscopes via an intensive training programme.