Program Description
We offer a 5-year comprehensive urologic training program. Our intern year is split in half with six months dedicated to urologic training and 6 months for general surgery internship. The remaining four years are all clinical with the possibility of a dedicated research rotation returning as we fill to four residents a year. We have expanded our program from three to four residents a year beginning starting in the 2023-2024 academic year. Our expansion has been ACMGE approved to accommodate our significant increase in surgical volume with the addition of six new faculty members in 2022. Many of our faculty are regionally and nationally recognized fellowship trained experts in such fields as urologic oncology, robotic surgery, trauma/reconstruction, voiding dysfunction, male infertility, and pediatric urology, female pelvic medicine and reconstruction and gender affirming surgery.
As trainees progress through the program, clinical duties and surgical experience advance commensurate with clinical expertise and demonstrated surgical skills. Senior residents are responsible for teaching and supervising junior residents and medical students. As such, trainees must demonstrate proficiency as they progress through each level of the program. Proficiency is measured by the annual urologic in-service exam and bi-yearly faculty evaluations which are discussed confidentially with each resident.
With the recruitment of six new faculty members starting in August 2022, a new rotation site and urology service has been developed at Chestnut Hill and Jeanes Hospitals. This new site will focus on advanced training in subspecialty urology specifically endourology, trauma/reconstruction and female urology and pelvic medicine. Unlike our other clinical services which are primarily inpatient, this rotation is primarily outpatient surgery and clinics with a small inpatient surgical service at Chestnut Hill Hospital. The below outline of the rotation sites and the respective resident allocation does not yet reflect the changes as we fill to four residents a year.
The PGY-1 curriculum consists of 6 months of General Surgery internship, 1 month interventional radiology and 5 months of introductory urology split between the inpatient service and outpatient clinics. The outpatient urology rotation has a primary focus on office based procedures, including cystoscopy, prostate biopsy, and urodynamics. Temple offers a diverse and experienced General Surgery internship program. This time will provide the resident with a foundation of knowledge and skill in the care of the acute surgical patient. Interns will rotate on services selected by the Urology department, namely trauma, the surgical intensive care unit, surgical oncology, acute care surgery, abdominal organ transplant, and night float services.
The PGY-2 year focuses on outpatient urologic care and pre-operative evaluation, basic urologic principles, minor open and endourologic procedures, and exposure to robotic and laparoscopic surgery as bedside assistants. This year is divided evenly with 4 months at Temple University Hospital, Jeanes Hospital, and Fox Chase Cancer Center. Residents learn to become proficient in seeing consults, triaging patients and building their operative skills.
The PGY-3 year is divided into blocks spent at Temple University Hospital, Chestnut Hill Hospitals, and Pediatric Urology. Residents will continue to master advanced endourologic procedures and assist in major open urologic surgery, participating in procedures under the direct supervision of the chief resident and faculty. Early subspecialty training will be a focus on the Chestnut Hill rotation. This year also provides the first exposure to robotic surgical training in the role of the console surgeon both at Chestnut Hill and Temple University Hospitals.
The PGY-4 resident is expected to function at a senior-level and begin to take on the responsibility of chief resident at the program’s flagship institutions. Rotations this year will include Fox Chase Cancer Center, Chestnut Hill Hospital, and Pediatric Urology at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. The Fox Chase Cancer Center rotation focuses on all aspects of academic, clinical and operative urologic oncology at an NCI designated comprehensive cancer center. The high-volume surgical experience emphasizes robotic and major open surgical cases. Returning as senior resident on the Chestnut Hill rotation will focus on proficiency in advanced BPH care particularly HOLEP as well as prosthetic urology.
Finally, the PGY-5 chief resident returns to Fox Chase Cancer Center (4 months) and Temple University Hospital (8 months). In the operating room, the resident is expected to become proficient in open and robotic major procedures. The PGY-5 will become proficient in advanced endourology, major and minor open procedures, and minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic techniques with the expectation of completing all procedures independently and being able to walk junior residents through all procedures. Additionally, the PGY-5 class assumes administrative leadership roles creating call-schedules and implementing the educational content delivered to residents during each of our weekly Monday conferences.