All things Urology

[NotaCop]

Nobody uses the urology sub-forum since it’s so buried. Figured a thread might be a better way to collect chat, questions, and interest related to surgery’s hidden gem subspecialty AKA urology. This can be for everyone from accepted students who’ve never even heard of uro through current residents and attendings offering advice, and all things in between. I assume it will get buried regularly but people will find it via search bar over time as well.

I’m an M4 matching on Monday and will get the ball rolling with some of my thoughts, advice, and hindsight 20/20 after that big day.

Mods, please feel free to delete if you prefer. Thanks!

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[NotaCop]

HELPFUL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
[Will continue to update and add resources, etc.]

SDN Threads
1. Resident AMA #1
2. Resident AMA #2 (newer)
3. Attending AMA
4. Urology Sub-Forum
5. Application Guide (ENT, but relevant)
6. Away Rotation Guide (ENT, but relevant)
7. ERAS+CV Publications FAQ

Other Threads/Links
1. Why You Should Consider Urology (PGY4) - Reddit
2. UrologyMatch (now dead)
3. AUA Core Curriculum
4. AUA Med Student Curriculum
5. Urology Cheat Sheets (for wards)
6. Urology Anki Deck (BIDMC)
7. Rod Squad Podcast

Twitter Accounts and Resources

 

[cal75]

Were you picking between 2 specialties and anything specific that makes it a hidden gem? I’ve been interested in the hybrid clinic/surgery based specialties like ophtho/ent/urology

 

[4thtimeretaker]

What step range do you think for both MD and DOs do you think makes an applicant competitive?

What other EC's should one be pursing if they have an interest in Urology.

Lastly, what is the best way to gain urology research (not many urologists around my school)?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This might be a dumb question, but I’m interested in urology but I’m older and after 8 years in the Navy with most of it being on ships, I have low back problems. If I stand for too long without moving around, my back really hurts.

I am interested in urology, but I’d prefer not to be in constant pain or be taking NSAIDs every day. Should I just consider it a no go?

Also, from a mod standpoint, these kinds of threads are very useful usually.

 

[Lebron's hairline]

Are fellowships typically common in Urology? Do attendings in private practice generally have fellowships?

 

[Neopolymath]

This might be a dumb question, but I’m interested in urology but I’m older and after 8 years in the Navy with most of it being on ships, I have low back problems. If I stand for too long without moving around, my back really hurts.

I am interested in urology, but I’d prefer not to be in constant pain or be taking NSAIDs every day. Should I just consider it a no go?

Also, from a mod standpoint, these kinds of threads are very useful usually.

Do robotic prostates all day and sit at the computer during lithotripsy... Hell I feel like I saw Uro sitting almost as much as ENT in my OR years. Didn't you?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Do robotic prostates all day and sit at the computer during lithotripsy... Hell I feel like I saw Uro sitting almost as much as ENT in my OR years. Didn't you?

Yeah, but they were all attendings who only did TURPs and TURBTs basically. Only one did anything else and he did nephrectomies. Never seen what it looks like during residency. 5-6 years of horrible back pain is not worth it to me.

 

[Neopolymath]

Yeah, but they were all attendings who only did TURPs and TURBTs basically. Only one did anything else and he did nephrectomies. Never seen what it looks like during residency. 5-6 years of horrible back pain is not worth it to me.

I don't know how they do nephrectomies in academic hospitals but I imagine very inefficiently and with lots of physical work for the physicians like any day in an academic OR lol. That would suck compared to a couple strong young men coming in to position the patient perfectly for you at a great community hospital instead of doing it yourself so I can see why you would be hesitant.

 

[NotaCop]

Updated post #2 with some resources. Much more coming soon.

Also, wasn’t intending to do any sort of AMA component but seeing Qs come in, I’m happy to give my student perspective on these next week. Others with relevant knowledge should feel free to answer them as well. I’ll still plan to drop my story, tips, advice in the first post as well next week once match day is in the books.

Thanks for participating in the thread!

 

[numbersloth]

What percentage of patients are female for a general urologist? How does this fluctuate depending on fellowship?

 

[Lem0nz]

This might be a dumb question, but I’m interested in urology but I’m older and after 8 years in the Navy with most of it being on ships, I have low back problems. If I stand for too long without moving around, my back really hurts.

I am interested in urology, but I’d prefer not to be in constant pain or be taking NSAIDs every day. Should I just consider it a no go?

Also, from a mod standpoint, these kinds of threads are very useful usually.

I rotate frequently with our uro-onc guys because they're wizards at robotics and pretty much owe all of my skills using the robot around the great vessels to them. Taught me mobilization of the liver, how to do a 15 minute nephrectomy, adrenalectomy, and splenectomy.

That said, even at our community hospital with tons of PAs and support staff that will do anything and everything, those guys stand *a lot* and lift *a lot* and still do all their own positioning. Not any better for the guys focused on bladder or prostate as far as I can tell. They're very active in the OR and not a lot lends itself to sitting.

 

[cpants]

It would be tough or impossible to get through training if you can't do 5 days a week standing in the OR for 8-10 hour days. As an attending possible to sit almost all the time if you focus on endoscopic surgery. Robotics more physical but still a lot of sitting.