The Urology Residency Program

The graduate program in Urology is a four-year residency with alternating one to two categorical position in each year. The Division of Urology is a section of general surgery and the only surgical subspecialty offered at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine. The educational mission for the urology residency program is to provide a well-balanced training program capable of training residents for careers in clinical or academic urology. To reach this goal, we believe all residents should participate in significant research as well as have extensive experience with both inpatient and outpatient evaluation and management of urologic patients with proper supervision.

One pre-urology year is required at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine campus under the direction of the Chairman of the Department of Surgery. The general surgery rotations include trauma, general surgery, surgical oncology, pediatric surgery, ICU, and vascular surgery.

Conferences and Lectures

The didactic program includes the core curriculum of lectures and discussions based on Campbell's Urology textbook; weekly Morbidity and Mortality Conference; monthly Journal Club; monthly Practice and Professionalism Conference where guest lecturers are invited to discuss topics relating to practice development and professionalism in a seminar format; and Surgery Grand Rounds in which faculty or visiting professors present updates of various topics of interest within and without the fields of surgery.

Specialty Conferences

Additionally, there are GU Radiology, Uropathology, and Tumor conferences. The Graduate School of Medicine sponsors the Foundational Curriculum which is required of all new residents. The conference focuses on each of the six ACGME competencies.

The importance given to the didactic program by the faculty is evidenced by the fact that residents are excused from all activities except absolute emergencies to attend conferences.

The Learning Environment

The atmosphere of the division is one of dedication to the residents' education. There are eight full time faculty members and eight clinical faculty members. The residents learn under a mentorship type program, similar to the Mayo Clinic model, where they work closely with one faculty attending for an entire month, involving themselves in all aspects of the patients' care. This mentorship allows junior level residents to do cases that are normally reserved for the senior level residents.

Evaluations

Residents are evaluated on a regular basis at the conclusion of each rotation. Yearly feedback is provided by the program director. Each resident has a faculty advisor who serves as his/her "ombudsman," meeting with the resident regularly and encouraging him/her to identify problem areas that the advisor can help resolve early in their evolution. Chief residents attend and contribute to Division of Urology faculty meetings, and senior residents are included on divisional retreats where they are encouraged to suggest opportunities for improvement in the residency. The program director meets monthly with all of the residents to discuss problems or opportunities for improvement in the program. Residents are asked to evaluate faculty and service at the end of each rotation.Top