Urology Residency Program

About our Residency Program

We are a growing Department that has a focus on Education, Research, and Clinical Care with a constant effort to improve the quality of all three. Residency Program in Urologic Surgery is a centerpiece of our Department. The Program has a track record of training leaders in all aspects of the Specialty of Urology including leaders in Academic Urology as well as practitioners who set the standard for care in their community. Our efforts are to train a well-rounded individual who is exposed to all aspects of the discipline of Urology who, after completion of training, has all options open to him or her including the choice of type of practice or the very best fellowship programs available. We have been very successful in this effort. We also strive to make the training program here in San Antonio a congenial, team effort in which everyone is focused on making the educational experience as productive and enjoyable as possible. We receive comments from visitors, patients, and colleagues that it is one of the nicest groups of folks around.

What does it mean to be a Urologist?

A general practice urologist spends most of his/her time in the office, which is where most of the practice income (and some would say personal satisfaction) is generated. Depending on referral patterns, the actual surgical case rate from that practice may be near 7%. Office procedure generation is somewhat higher since referrals for evaluation of hematuria and elevated PSA, for instance, will usually include cystoscopy or an ultrasound directed biopsy. In some group practices, one partner may be the beneficiary of surgical referrals from the partners but most general urologists must know how to evaluate the common urologic maladies and provide a variety of care options (both medical, procedural and surgical) to their patients.

Additionally, Urologists work with other specialists (e.g. radiation oncology, medical oncology, etc.) who will often be needed to provide the best care to our patients. We are often the ‘hub’ of patient care and coordinate the activities of our consultants as we maintain the big picture of overall care. If your expectation is a high operative volume with little clinical involvement, Urology is not the field for you. However, if you enjoy a mix of patient care opportunities, don’t shy away from complex patients, and are not intimidated by an ever-changing therapeutic landscape, this may be the field that will keep interested for a long career.

The American Urologic Association has prepared a video, which may be helpful in understanding why many of us chose Urology as a profession.

What is expected in Urology residency?

In general, the Urology resident is expected to be well-versed in patient care including the management of multiple complex medical problems while developing an organized approach to management of the patients’ urologic issues. Residents generally work in teams of junior and senior residents – so the ability to get along in the cooperative environment and to put the interests of the group (and their patients) foremost is invaluable to a successful residency.

What are we looking for in a prospective resident?

The characteristics we see are: bright, enthusiastic, able to work well with others (often under challenging, fast-paced circumstances), and a track record of “doing more than is expected”. This combination of features places our residents head and shoulders above their peers and makes training in San Antonio a challenging yet enjoyable experience.

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