urology residencies

[mary]

Are there any urology residents out there? I am just wondering about the lifestyle. I know that the first year or two is gen. surgery, so that is a crazy time, but what are the last three or four years like? I know a lot depends on the programs, but I am very interested in the specialty and am trying to get a general picture of the training. Also, can you elaborate on your application process? I know it is an early match and therefore very competitive, but I am interested in details. Is research terribly important or will great grades and reccomendations do it? Also, how often do urologists get sued?
Thanks for any info!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mango]

I'm not sure about the residency requirements, but I thought I'd tell you about my experiences in Urology.

At my school, all first year students are assigned a physician to shadow for about 16 hours while they work in their office setting. It's just a sort of introduction to what medical practice is like. It was a great opportunity. Anyhow, I was assigned a urologist. It was fascinating to say the least. But I wanted to warn you of one thing. Many of his patients did not want a female in the room. In fact many of them were extremely adamant about it. They were there to discuss things like STDs and Impotence, and they refused to allow me in.

I guess I just thought I'd warn you that women in urology will always be at a disadvantage due to the insecurities of some men. Unfortunate, but true. But if being a urologist is really what you want to do, then I would hope you pursue it despite the gender issues.

 

[Hopkins2010]

What % of urology patients are female? I suppose urology is similar to OB/GYN. Just as most female ob/gyn patients prefer female docs, so do most male urology patients prefer male docs.

Its somewhat strange that male urology patients who prefer male doctors are labeled as "insecure" by many people whereas there is an entirely more benign connotation associated with female ob/gyn patients who prefer female doctors.

 

[Mango]

Yeah, I hear you Baylor. But I would say that women who don't want to see male Gyn's are insecure as well. But it happens to a lot of people. It's a fact that people (especially in the US) are insecure about being naked in front others, especially a member of the opposite gender. It's a cultural thing I guess.

I personally have been to both male and female Gyn's, and found that it was the physician's personality, rather than their gender, that made me more comfortable. The problem is that some people won't even give an opposite gendered physician a chance.

And on your question about female urology patients, the answer is they see a lot of them. They are mostly older women with incontinence problems, or cystoceles, things like that.