Urology
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2009) |
Specialty | |
Activity sectors | Medicine, surgery |
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Description | |
Education required | |
Fields of employment | Hospitals, clinics |
Urology (from
).The urinary and reproductive tracts are closely linked, and disorders of one often affect the other. Thus a major spectrum of the conditions managed in urology exists under the domain of
Urological techniques include minimally invasive
Urology is one of the most competitive and highly sought surgical specialties for physicians, with new urologists comprising less than 1.5% of United States medical-school graduates each year.[4][5]
Urologists are physicians which have specialized in the field after completing their general degree in medicine. Upon successful completion of a residency program, many urologists choose to undergo further advanced training in a subspecialty area of expertise through a fellowship lasting an additional 12 to 36 months. Subspecialties may include: urologic surgery, urologic oncology and urologic oncological surgery, endourology and endourologic surgery,
Training
United States
As of 2022, there are 146 residency programs that offered 356 categorical positions.[6] Urology is one of the early match programs, with results given to applicants by early February (6 weeks before NRMP match). Applications are accepted starting Sep 1, with some programs accepting applications until early Jan.[7]
It is a relatively competitive specialty to match into, with only 65.6% of US seniors matching in the 2022 match cycle.[8] The number of positions has grown from 278 in 2012 to 356 in 2022. Matching is significantly more difficult for IMGs and students who have a year or more off before residency - match rates were 27% and 55% respectively in 2012.[9]
The medical school environment may also be a factor. A study in 2012 also showed after an analysis of match rates from schools between 2005 and 2009 that 20 schools sent more than 15 students into urology (1 standard deviation above the median), with Northwestern University sending 44 students over those five years.[10]
After urology residency, there are seven subspecialties recognized by the AUA (American Urological Association):
- Oncology
- Calculi
- Female Urology
- Infertility
- Pediatrics
- Transplant (renal)
- Neurourology.[11]
Australia
Training is completed through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons[12] (RACS). The program requires six years of full-time training (for those who commenced prior to 2016), or five years for those who commenced after 2016.[13] The program is accredited by the Australian Medical Council.[12][14]
Nepal
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
In Nepal, the formal urologist degree awarded is MCh (Magister Chirurgiae).[15] This is a three years course post masters and includes thesis and a mandatory publication. This degree is awarded after completing MBBS (four and half year plus a one-year rotatory internship) and MS (Mastery of surgery) in general surgery (three years course). Till now[when?] two universities Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University as well as two Autonomous institutes BP Koirala Institute of health sciences and National Academy of Medical Sciences (Bir Hospital) run the MCh Urology programme.[16][17] This degree is equivalent to Clinical PhD and called as "Chikitsa Bidhyabaridhi" by Tribhuvan University (Government University) and is considered to be the highest degree among the surgical discipline degrees.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, in 2001, there were only five qualified urologists. All trained abroad, in countries like India, Tanzania and Hungary. Before this chapter all urology cases were managed by general surgeons. The only urological unit in the country was at Tikur Anbessa Tertiary Hospital. The services provided included
Subdisciplines
As a medical discipline that involves the care of many organs and physiological systems, urology can be broken down into several subdisciplines. At many larger academic centers and university hospitals that excel in patient care and clinical research, urologists often specialize in a particular sub discipline.
Endourology
Endourology is the branch of urology that deals with the closed manipulation of the urinary tract.
Laparoscopy
Urologic oncology
Urologic oncology concerns the surgical treatment of malignant genitourinary diseases such as cancer of the prostate, adrenal glands, bladder, kidneys, ureters, testicles, and penis, as well as the skin and subcutaneous tissue and muscle and fascia of those areas (that particular subspecialty overlaps with dermatological oncology and related areas of oncology). The treatment of genitourinary cancer is managed by either a urologist or an oncologist, depending on the treatment type (surgical or medical). Most urologic oncologists in Western countries use minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopy or endourology, robotic-assisted surgery) to manage urologic cancers amenable to surgical management.
Neurourology
Neurourology concerns
Pediatric urology
Andrology
Andrology is the medical specialty that deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to men such as prostate cancer, male fertility problems, and surgery of the male reproductive system. It is the counterpart to gynaecology, which deals with medical issues that are specific to female health, especially reproductive and urologic health.
Reconstructive urology
Reconstructive urology is a highly specialized field of male urology that restores both structure and function to the genitourinary tract. Prostate procedures, full or partial hysterectomies, trauma (auto accidents, gunshot wounds, industrial accidents, straddle injuries, etc.), disease, obstructions, blockages (e.g., urethral strictures), and occasionally, childbirth, can necessitate reconstructive surgery. The urinary bladder, ureters (the tubes that lead from the kidneys to the urinary bladder) and genitalia are other examples of reconstructive urology.
Female urology
Female urology is a branch of urology dealing with overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence. Many of these physicians also practice neurourology and reconstructive urology as mentioned above. Female urologists (many of whom are men) complete a 1–3-year fellowship after completion of a 5–6-year urology residency.[21] Thorough knowledge of the female pelvic floor together with intimate understanding of the physiology and pathology of voiding are necessary to diagnose and treat these disorders. Depending on the cause of the individual problem, a medical or surgical treatment can be the solution. Their field of practice heavily overlaps with that of urogynecologists, physicians in a sub-discipline of gynecology, who have done a three-year fellowship after a four-year OBGYN residency.[21]
Journals and organizations
There are a number of peer-reviewed journals and publications about urology, including .
There are national organizations such as the American Urological Association, the American Association of Clinical Urologists,[22] European Association of Urology, the Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA),[22] and The Society for Basic Urologic Research. Urology is also included under the auspices of the International Continence Society.
Teaching organizations include the
List of urological topics
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder stones
- Cystitis
- Development of the urinary and reproductive organs
- Epididymitis
- Erectile dysfunction
- Interstitial cystitis
- Kidney cancer
- Kidney stone
- Kidney transplant
- Peyronie's disease
- Postorgasmic illness syndrome
- Prostate cancer
- Prostatitis
- Replantation
- Retrograde pyelogram
- Retrograde ureteral
- Testicular cancer
- Vasectomy
- Vasectomy reversal
See also
References
- ^ "Urology". American Medical Association. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
- ^ "Urologist in Noida". Full Details Information. 27 March 2019.
- S2CID 23167891.
- S2CID 24794856.
- ^ "Facts: Applicants, Matriculants, Enrollment, Graduates, MD/PhD, and Residency Applicants Data - Data and Analysis". AAMC. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Urology and Specialty Matches". Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ "American Urological Association - Accredited U.S. Urology Residency Programs". Auanet.org.
- S2CID 249988399. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ "Urology Residency Guide - Urology Match". Urologymatch.com.
- PMID 21168862.
- ^ "Urology - An Overview - Urology Match". Urologymatch.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
- ^ a b (RACS), Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. "Urology". Surgeons.org. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
- ^ "Overview - Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand". Usanz.org.au. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
- ^ "Urology". Australian Medical Association. 2016-02-17. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
- ^ "Department of Urology and Kidney Transplant Surgery". TUTH. Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "NAMS".
- ^ "About IOM | Institute of Medicine". Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ a b "College of Health Sciences | Addis Ababa University Sites site". Aau.edu.et.
- ^ "Website of the Endourologic Society". Endourology.org. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ "Intuitive Surgical, Inc". Intuitivesurgical.com. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ^ a b "Fellowships | Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction". Sufuorg.com. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Clinical Urologists Group Supports Genomic Testing for Prostate Cancer". Clinicalomics.com. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
The Association, which represents nearly 4,000 member urologists nationwide, said in the one-page statement.... The AACU's statement has won support from the Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA), which represents more than 2,300 physicians who make up more than 25% of the nation's practicing urologists.