The concept of a simulator as a training tool is well established, notably in aviation. Skills in gastrointestinal endoscopy mainly depend on experience and are routinely acquired by practicing on patients, initially under supervision of a senior endoscopist. Increased public's attention to medical errors, the legal and ethical issues, the progress in computer technology, the continuous introduction of new endoscopic techniques, and the changes in medical practice that limit patient availability,--all are forcing us as educators to rethink previously established principles and to use endoscopy simulators with the aim to teach fundamental endoscopic skills in a risk-free setting, away from the patient. This article reviews currently available endoscopy computer-based simulators and their potentially role in digestive endoscopic training.