Official Title

UPMC Medical Education Program in Urology

Program number

4804121135

Format

Two and Four year program with dedicated general surgery rotations appropriate to urology, and eight months of research; alternating three and four residents per year, with dedicated research time in the fourth year.

Current Accreditation Status  

Full 10-year accreditation through 2021.

The educational goal of the urology residency program is to train the best physicians to become the best urologists. This goal is met through three objectives:

• First, we strive to instill a sense of scholarship in residents, making self-education a life-long vocation and pleasure. The educational experience of residency should be like that of graduate school: an immergence in the field of urology, where curiosity and excitement fuel discovery about the field. Conferences and grand rounds are only one manifestation of this objective; through the example of scholarship by the faculty, residents see the joy of learning.
  
  
• Second, we work very hard to train residents in the craft and discipline of surgery. Initially through example and reduction of each maneuver or operation into its component parts, we provide a graded experience of increased responsibility for each resident.
  
  Areas of weakness, uncertainty and ignorance are exposed. The focus is correction. Residents are provided with ample opportunity to hone and refine their surgical skills.
  
  
• Third, we place a premium on excellent patient care. By making each senior-level rotation up to six months long, residents are able to see patients in both the peri-operative and longer-term follow-up.
  
  Teaching at the bedside, in the context of inpatient consults or rounds, coupled with extensive outpatient clinic experience allow the faculty to provide both examples of excellent patient care and to mentor the residents as they develop into outstanding — and caring — clinicians.

Coordination with the Surgery Department at UPMC has allowed us to structure a pre-urology program that is maximally appropriate for later urologic training.

Typical rotations during the PGY-1 and PGY-2 years include:

• Urology
• General surgery (including the Pittsburgh VAMC & UPMC St. Margaret)
• Trauma
• Surgical Oncology
• GI surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Pediatric surgery
• Vascular
• Thoracic
• ER
• Anesthesia
• Transplant (PGY-2 yr)
• SICU (PGY-2 yr)

High case volume in major urologic procedures ensures outstanding surgical training at UPMC.

Residents graduating in 2011 were at or above the 90th percentile for all oncologic cases, including laparoscopic and robotic, done as primary surgeon during their residency. In general, they exceeded the minimum number of all other required index cases by about double.

Other major cases over the 50th percentile include:

• Pelvic lymphadenectomy
• Retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND)
• Percutaneous renal surgery
• Radical cystectomy
• Transurethral resection bladder tumor (TURBT)
• Ureteroscopy
• Urinary diversion, all types
• Laparoscopy
Conferences

Multiple activities are specifically designed for resident education. Conferences for Urology residents at UPMC include:

• Urology Grand Rounds
• Urology Morbidity & Mortality Conference
• Visiting Professor Days
• Pediatric Radiology Conference
• Pediatric Didactic Conference
• Pathology Conference
• Journal Club
• Campbell's Club
• Tumor Board
• Radiology Conference
• PUH/MUH Preop Conference
• UPMC Shadyside Preop Conference
• VA Preop Conference
• CHP Preop Conference
Curriculum

The educational program is designed to cover the breadth of urology over a 2-year time period and then repeat so each resident is exposed to each topic as both a junior and senior level resident. When possible, topics are coordinated between Pathology, Radiology, and Campbell's C lub conferences. The topics include:

Kidney
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Kidney stones, formation and pathophysiology
• Pyelonephritis, renal abscess
• Renal trauma, blunt and penetrating
• Laser physics and safety
• Kidney stones: location-dependent management
• Kidney stones: long-term management
• Renal Cell Carcinoma
• Post-obstructive diuresis
• Renal Transplantation: immunosuppression
Adrenal
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Pheochromocytoma
• Adrenal adenomas
• Hormonally active adrenal tumors
• Adrenal cortical carcinoma
Ureter
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Ureteral obstruction, pathophysiology
• Ureteral strictures, acquired and congenital
• Ureteral trauma
Bladder
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Bladder Trauma
• Hematuria: gross, microscopic
• Urinary tract infection
• Cystitis: hemorrhagic, interstitial, contracted, acute, chronic
• Neurogenic Bladder
• Urinary retention
• Incontinence: stress, urge, overflow, continuous
Prostate
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Trauma
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Prostatitis: acute, chronic, prostatic abscess
• Prostate Cancer
Urethra
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Trauma
• Diverticulum
• Strictures
• Carcinoma
Urethra
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Trauma
• Peyronie's Disease
• Priapism: low flow, high flow, chronic
Testes and Scrotum
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Pathology
• Trauma
• Infertility
• Fournier's Gangrene
Research
• 8-month block during the PGY-4 (URO-2) year
• The Laboratory Research rotation provides an initial exposure to basic urological research with opportunities for study in a variety of areas, including oncology, neurourology, and immunology.
  
  With a large number of faculty researchers in the department as well as many well-equipped laboratories, the research rotation provides significant exposure to many common research techniques, such as cell culture, small animal dissections, and molecular biology.
  
  Finally, this educational experience provides a focused time to develop analytical and critical cognitive skills in reading basic and clinical scientific literature, understanding and implementing good experimental design and effectively reporting one's findings.
• Residents who have papers accepted to national meetings are strongly encouraged to go and present their work with departmental sponsorship.

Our Current Residents

PGY-6

PGY-5

PGY-4

PGY-3

PGY-2

PGY-1