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ESD and 3 rd Space procedures (Esophageal POEM, gastric POEM, diverticulotomy, etc) offer significant economic and patient outcome benefits. These minimally invasive procedures reduce the need for more invasive surgeries, lowering overall healthcare costs by decreasing hospital stays, minimizing recovery times, and preserve patient organs.

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One of the barriers to adoption in the United States is the ability to train in a formal fellowship style with longitudinal mentorship and en vivo learning. In the US there is already a formal interventional fellowship with much to learn in terms of EUS, EUS interventions, ERCP, EMR, Endoluminal stenting, suturing and more.

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The Free Space project was created to alleviate the gap in training for interventional endoscopists whose programs and communities support their desire to provide ESD and 3 rd space procedures to their patients. Similar to the Japanese approach, The Free Space Project provides an opportunity for a defined curriculum by experts and longitudinal training with mentors in a series of en vivo scenarios. Additionally, The Free Space project provides trainees the opportunity to enage in the curriculum virtually, thereby allowing them to practice which engaging in the formal training.