Our program provides multiple opportunities throughout the year to increase your comfort level with many innovative management strategies through the hosting of workshops. Examples include an annual endourology workshop, a urethral bulking agent workshop, and education on coding and documentation.
PGY-1
This year is designed to introduce the trainee to the broad field of surgery, including general surgery and urologic surgical experiences. Rotations are provided in transplant surgery, pediatric surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, urology, and critical care. Rotations are performed at the University Hospital, the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, and the VA Hospital. A total of six months is spent on the general surgical services and six months on Urology. In each of these areas, the PGY-1 trainee is given responsibility commensurate with their interest and ability. They may have the opportunity to perform operations under the direct supervision of chief residents and attending surgeons.
Primary emphasis is placed on the evaluation of the surgical inpatient and outpatient. The trainee works as a junior ward officer where all aspects of preoperative and postoperative care are stressed.
The PGY-1 is also responsible for much of the administrative aspects of patient care, including ensuring timely completion of histories and physical examinations, and progress notes whether completed by the students or other members of the team. The trainee assures that all aspects of care are addressed by communicating them in the doctor's orders and assuring that these orders have been accomplished.
Together with other junior residents on the service, the PGY-1 is responsible for the dictation of accurate and concise discharge summaries. By the end of the PGY-1 year, the intern is comfortable with ward clinical problems, basic critical care, and BLS and ACLS protocol.
PGY-2
This is the first of four dedicated urology postgraduate years. The resident will become familiar with office-based urology, including the initial evaluation of adult and pediatric urologic patients, performance of office-based procedures, including, but not limited to cystoscopy, transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy, vasectomy, and urodynamic studies. The PGY-2 will learn how to work-up common urological problems encountered in hospital consultations and will learn how to deal with urological emergencies. This is the first exposure to pediatric urology which is done in 2-month intervals for a total of 4 months. This resident typically assists in major open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeries.
The resident will develop an understanding of socio-economic issues related to medicine, including the practice of delivering cost-effective medical care. They will develop an understanding of the ethics of the medical and urologic profession and will become an active participant in conference discussions and journal club presentations.
PGY-3
By the end of the PGY-3 year, the resident will be able to evaluate all urologic patients under his care and organize a plan of management acceptable to the chief resident and attending physician. This plan will include total assessment of the patient, evaluation and interpretation of all pertinent accompanying information, determination of appropriate diagnostic studies, and providing a rationale for therapy.
The resident will develop an understanding of adult and pediatric anatomy and physiology as it relates to urologic patients and learn the medical and surgical management of adult and pediatric patient. The resident will understand basic urologic disease, including uro-oncology, benign diseases of the prostate, voiding dysfunction, urologic trauma and reconstruction, pelvic floor disorders, chronic and acute renal failure, male infertility, and erectile dysfunction, as well as become proficient in common pediatric urologic conditions, including hydronephrosis, vesicoureteral reflux, posterior urethral valve disease, bladder pathophysiology, and pediatric malignancies.
The resident will become proficient in office-based urology, including the initial evaluation of adult and pediatric urologic patients, performance of office-based procedures, including, but not limited to cystoscopy, transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy, vasectomy, and urodynamic studies.
The resident will become proficient in minor operative urology, including endourologic procedures, open surgical procedures, pediatric surgical procedures, and lithotripsy and will learn the details of major urologic operative procedures by active participation in cases as time allows. The resident will develop an understanding of pre-operative assessment of patients and post-operative management of surgical patients. They should, at this point, be actively involved in an independent research endeavor within the Department.
PGY-4
By the end of the PGY-4 year, the resident will be able to evaluate all urologic patients under their care and organize a plan of management acceptable to the chief resident and attending physician. This plan will include total assessment of the patient, evaluation and interpretation of all pertinent accompanying information, determination of appropriate diagnostic studies, and providing a rationale for therapy.
The resident will further their understanding of adult and pediatric anatomy and physiology as it relates to urologic patients. The resident will serve as the administrative chief of the pediatric service during their time on that service for 4 months. The resident will understand complex urologic disease, including uro-oncology, benign diseases of the prostate, voiding dysfunction, urologic trauma and reconstruction, pelvic floor disorders, chronic and acute renal failure, male infertility, and erectile dysfunction. The PGY-4 will participate in a transplant surgery rotation for 4 months.
The resident will be comfortable with office-based urology. They will also finalize the process of learning all medical and surgical urology as it relates to the pediatric population. The resident will remain an active participant in conference discussions and journal club presentation and will continue the process of learning operative urology, including endourologic procedures, more complex open surgical procedures, and lithotripsy. The resident will learn the details of major urologic operative procedures by active participation in cases as time allows. The resident will have an understanding of pre-operative assessment of patients and post-operative management of surgical patients.
By the end of the PGY-4 year, the resident will have completed an independent research endeavor and prepare for presentation at a major academic meeting.
PGY-5
The chief residents will prepare the service report presentations, lead grand rounds and other didactic functions, oversee all patient care, review pre-operative evaluations, schedule patients for hospital admission and surgery, control hospital beds, and assign operative cases. In essence, administrative functions will be entirely assumed by the chief residents. The chief will meet independently with the junior floor residents each morning and make rounds on all patients.
The PGY-5 year will be devoted to mastering medical and surgical Urology and developing administrative skills necessary for the performance of high-quality urology, either in an academic or private practice situation. The resident will serve as administrative chief of the respective institution and serve as a junior faculty under the guidance of the faculty. The resident will organize the residency program under the guidance of the residency director, take initiative with the didactic schedule, and ensure that all conferences are attended. The resident will master the understanding of adult anatomy and physiology as it relates to urologic patients and finalize his understanding of urologic disease, including uro-oncology, benign diseases of the prostate, voiding dysfunction, urologic trauma and reconstruction, pelvic floor disorders, chronic and acute renal failure, male infertility and erectile dysfunction.
The resident will master office-based urology, including the initial evaluation of adult urologic patients, performance of office-based procedures, including, but not limited to cystoscopy, transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy, vasectomy, and urodynamic studies. The resident will become proficient in operative adult urology, including pre-operative and post-operative management, and discussion of alternative therapies with surgical patients. The resident will lead most conference discussions and journal club presentations, including actively participating in the development of conference schedules.
The resident will finalize the process of learning operative urology and learn the details of major urologic operative procedures by active participation in all major cases.
