2017 Young Urologist Forum Report
By Sean Stroup, MD, Chairman
WS Rep to AUA Young Urologists Committee
This year’s WSAUA Young Urologist Forum occurred on Tuesday, August 8 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM in Vancouver, BC. We had a thoughtful and lively roundtable discussion about different career paths and employment opportunities in urology. We were honored to have a fantastic group of speakers and attendees that shared different perspectives about being in academic, employed, and private practice. Our guest speakers included Dr. Lance Walsh in private practice in Rancho Mirage, CA; Dr. Ryan Kopp from the VA in Portland, OR; Dr. Erik Castle from the Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ; and Dr. Eugene Rhee the regional Chief of Urology at Kaiser Permanente, Southern California. Specifically, we discussed the challenges and benefits of choosing a particular practice environment. Our speakers and attendees shared tips for Young Urologists seeking employment, including giving some advice to help prepare for interviews and essential questions to ask of the practice.
The AUA Young Urologists Committee is dedicated to providing a number of early career resources for young urologists. This year the AUA Young Urology Committee launched a speed-mentoring program with great success, and we are planning future programs next year. The AUA Young Urology Committee also updated its “Transitioning From Residency to Practice,” guide which is a useful resource for residents, fellows, and early career urologists seeking employment. This reference can be found on the Young Urology page on the AUA website. The YU Online Community is an exclusive AUA member benefit for young Urologists to collaborate with their peers, to raise questions, and to discuss interesting topics. Webcasts on a variety of topics are also available for viewing on the AUA YU online community library. Lastly, the committee is working on the development and implementation of an introduction to understanding business concepts and practice management course that we hope to roll out as one of the available courses for the upcoming AUA annual meeting.
Ultimately, we hope to facilitate residents, fellows, and other urologists in our section develop robust professional networks and better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with the practice of urology. Please join us next year in Maui for WSAUA 2018.
