Why Urology?

[MD Dreams]

What drew you to this field, other than the lifestyle and pay (if that was a consideration)? Thanks.

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[doc05]

for most, it's an unhealthy fascination with scrotums.

 

[drvechman]

bump

 

[bobbyseal]

bump

I chose urology because I enjoy surgery and being able to treat people in clinic.

I think urology has the best parts of general surgery without the hassle. Urologists can do some big time cases - cystectomy with neobladder reconstruction. But, we aren't typically having to operate at 2am on annoying cases like appy's. Urology does have it's emergencies - torsion, priapism, trauma. But for the most part, I think a general surgeon is going operating a heck of a lot more often in the middle of the night than a urologist.

Other aspects of urology that are appealing include the endourologic aspect. The ability to do a variety of cystoscopic and ureteroscopic cases is appealing. Your patients can go home that day. That means a lot.

Anyway, urology tends to be a field that flies under the radar, and I'm happy that it does. We won't make as much money as an orthopod or neurosurgeon, but our hours are a hell of a lot better than either of those specialties.

 

[JacksonX]

1) Fun procedures (growing up with video games, it's nice to see that endourology is quite similar)

2) Great lifestyle

3) Good reimbursement (better than Ophtho and gen surg, about the same as ENT, non-spine ortho)

4) VERY greatful patients- ability to do simple things to make patients VERY happy with you.

5) The most needed/understaffed physicians in the US behind derm/plastics

6) Ability to practice pure clinic urology as you get older, vs. HUGE extirpations when you're young and energetic (and probably get paid more for just doing office urology.)

Basically, if you've GOT to be a surgeon, and you want a life, Urology is the only field to go into, in my highly-biased opinion.

 

[-Goose-]

1) Fun procedures (growing up with video games, it's nice to see that endourology is quite similar)

2) Great lifestyle

3) Good reimbursement (better than Ophtho and gen surg, about the same as ENT, non-spine ortho)

4) VERY greatful patients- ability to do simple things to make patients VERY happy with you.

5) The most needed/understaffed physicians in the US behind derm/plastics

6) Ability to practice pure clinic urology as you get older, vs. HUGE extirpations when you're young and energetic (and probably get paid more for just doing office urology.)

Basically, if you've GOT to be a surgeon, and you want a life, Urology is the only field to go into, in my highly-biased opinion.

sweet post

 

[Brett Hart]

Behind closed doors do you refer to yourselves as part of the "Rod Squad"?

 

[justawonderin]

Behind closed doors do you refer to yourselves as part of the "Rod Squad"?

Nope.
Stream team. Not all of our patients have rods, but everyone has a stream.

 

[justawonderin]

.

 

[Dr. Pedo]

I always wonder what would lead people to this field----I know someone who is a urologist----just never had the balls to ask him why? No pun intended. But it makes sense now---thanks.

Dr.B

 

[JacksonX]

I always wonder what would lead people to this field----I know someone who is a urologist----just never had the balls to ask him why? No pun intended. But it makes sense now---thanks.

Dr.B

If you want to do surgery, actually have a life, and make a decent income, it's pretty much the only field out there.

 

[toxic-megacolon]

If you want to do surgery, actually have a life, and make a decent income, it's pretty much the only field out there.

Breast surgery? ENT? Plastics? SurgOnc? I don't think Urology is the ONLY field with a goodlifestyle. True, Surg Onc can take 7 years of training though...

 

[KitesurfDaEarth]

check out www.urologymatch.com from what i have heard from residents...most uro people are real laid back, they do some big time surgeries but without the big time ego (what lay people really know what urologists do, hell what M2s really know what urologists do).

 

[DW3843]

These have been some helpful responses. Please add any other comments or thoughts that might help other clueless med students like me.

I have always had a mild addiction to all things surgical. I usually use the standard "I'm still keeping my options open" response when asked what my future plans will be, but I'm sure I'll propbably end up in one of the 4 or 5 field that I am already drawn to ...assuming I don't have some huge revelation next year on the wards.
With that said, urology has become an interesting and appealing option that I was very unaware of until just a few weeks ago.

...and if you need some proof of just how freaking cool urology can be just go to this page and view the webcast. awesome.
http://www.or-live.com/vanderbilt/1227/

 

[Spang]

These have been some helpful responses. Please add any other comments or thoughts that might help other clueless med students like me.

I have always had a mild addiction to all things surgical. I usually use the standard "I'm still keeping my options open" response when asked what my future plans will be, but I'm sure I'll propbably end up in one of the 4 or 5 field that I am already drawn to ...assuming I don't have some huge revelation next year on the wards.
With that said, urology has become an interesting and appealing option that I was very unaware of until just a few weeks ago.

...and if you need some proof of just how freaking cool urology can be just go to this page and view the webcast. awesome.
http://www.or-live.com/vanderbilt/1227/

If you think that's "freaking cool" you should check out Mani Menon's sweet OR suites with the DaVinci; HUGE plasma screen 3-D monitors for the assistants and leather recliners. Seriously! And the patients can recover at the nearby Ritz-Carlton.

Check out this story about a 3-D telecast of a surgery to India from his high-tech suite in Detroit: http://www.primidi.com/2004/11/04.html

Of course it's all still in Detroit.

 

[bobbyseal]

If you think that's "freaking cool" you should check out Mani Menon's sweet OR suites with the DaVinci; HUGE plasma screen 3-D monitors for the assistants and leather recliners. Seriously! And the patients can recover at the nearby Ritz-Carlton.

Check out this story about a 3-D telecast of a surgery to India from his high-tech suite in Detroit: http://www.primidi.com/2004/11/04.html

Of course it's all still in Detroit.

I hear that the residents get to do a ton of robotic surgery at Detroit. But, it seems like they lack experience in other facets of urology. Just a rumor though.

 

[Spang]

I hear that the residents get to do a ton of robotic surgery at Detroit. But, it seems like they lack experience in other facets of urology. Just a rumor though.

Yeah, I interviewed there. I wasn't endorsing the program, just saying their toys are cool! It was the only place I interviewed that I didn't rank.

 

[mysophobe]

Holy crap. That robotic prostatectomy was awesome. I just about peed myself.