Year-in-Review Highlights... but first and foremost we wish you more than ever good health. Secondly, prosperity. And thirdly, a NEW YEAR of hope and NEW possibilities.

What. A. Year. While 2020 looked a little different than we thought it would, we’re very humbled by and grateful for the creativity, passion, and energy of our Western Section Members and Leaders whose support and dedication make our Section so incredibly vibrant and strong.

What follows is a quick re-cap of the year 2020 highlights, member's in the news, plus some important announcements.

The 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting was truly a game changer.

The 96th Annual Meeting, the first ever Western Section meeting held in a virtual environment, concluded on October 29, 2020. Total attendance included 423 urologists, 54 APP/allied health pros, and over 190 exhibitors for a total of about 670 attending.

Using the Whova meeting app and Zoom for the presentations proved to be an effective combination although it could not replace the beauty, relaxation and hospitality of Maui. The amount of content, camaraderie and networking was astounding in the virtual meeting app. During the five day long meeting there were 28 live moderated sessions,  7 un-moderated sessions, 5 happy hours, 28 exhibits, 7 symposium, over 28 CME offered, and about 350 presentations overall. Add to that a wide assortment of interactive community chat rooms and discussions, the event was perhaps as active and engaging as any past physical meeting.

The full agenda and program book as well as other details can be viewed on the meeting website at: https://maui20.wsaua.org/

There were also several contests and prize drawings adding some friendly competition and fun for the participants. The feedback indicated strong satisfaction with the event.  Many were surprised at the quality of the sessions and delivery of the content as well as the high level of engagement. Dr. Christopher Porter, WS Secretary and Program Director, ends his 4 year term on a high note despite the challenges faced this year and passes the torch to Dr. Sia Daneshmand (USC).

For those who participated, we thank you for being with us at this meeting!  The Whova meeting app and all videos are still available for viewing.

 

2020 Annual Meeting Awardees - Congratulations Session Winners

 

MILEY B. WESSON RESIDENT ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

  • 1ST PLACE: #10 - Carissa E Chu, MD - "Heterogeneity In Nectin-4 Expression Across Molecular Subtypes Of Urothelial Cancer Determines Sensitivity To Enfortumab Vedotin."
  • 2ND PLACE: #239 - Heiko Yang, MD, PHD - "A Microbiome Exists In the Upper Urinary Tract of Stone Formers: A Pilot Study."
  • 3RD PLACE: #45 - Meera Chappidi, MD, MPH - "Validation of the Cancer of Bladder Risk Assessment (COBRA) Score in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Bladder Cancer Cohort."

JOSEPH F. MCCARTHY PHYSICIAN ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

  • 1ST PLACE: #11 - Christopher S. Elliott, MD, PhD - "The Effect of Early Infection on the Rate of Volitional Voiding at 1-Year Follow-up After Spinal Cord Injury – A Potential Modifiable Risk."
  • 2ND PLACE: #240 - Thomas Chi, MD - "Resident Physician Learning Curve for Achieving Renal Access for PCNL is Shortened With Ultrasound Guidance."
  • 3RD PLACE: #64 - Kathleen Kan, MD - "The Post-potty Training Period: Preventive Pediatric Urology Will Decrease The Incidence Of Voiding Dysfunction In Schoolchildren."

HISTORY ESSAY CONTEST WINNER
1ST PLACE: #12 - Mang L Chen, MD - "The History of Microsurgery in Urological Practice."

HEALTH POLICY AWARDS

  • JEFFREY E. KAUFMAN, MD FIRST PLACE ESSAY AWARD
    Yaw Nyame, MD, MBA - "Estimating The Harms And Benefit Of Intensified Prostate Cancer Screening In Black Men."
  • ANTHONY W. MIDDLETON, MD GRAND PRIZE POSTER AWARD
    Adam Gadzinski, MD, MS, Univ. of WA - "The Utilization of eConsults in Urology."

ROUND TABLE AWARDS

  • HADLEY AWARD - Tyler Kern, MD
  • BODNER-STEGEMANN AWARD - Poone Shoureshi, MD

OVERALL POSTER WINNERS

  • James L. Goebel Grand Prize:
    Jason Alter, MD -  “Clinical Utility of ExoDx Prostate in Men on Initial Biopsy.”
  • Overall Second Place:
    Tony Chen, MD - "Performance Characteristics of Stone Models in Burst Wave Lithotripsy Research."
  • Overall Third Place:
    Son Nguyen, MD - "Evaluating Re-operation Rates After Primary Distal Hypospadias Repair."

BEST OF SESSION POSTER WINNERS

  • FIRST PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 1
    Jason Alter, MD - "Clinical Utility of ExoDx Prostate in Men on Initial Biopsy"
  • SECOND PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 1
    Jonathan Tward, MD - "Personalizing Localized Prostate Cancer: Validation Of A Combined Clinical Cell-cycle Risk (CCR) Score Threshold For Prognosticating Benefit From Multimodality Therapy"
  • THIRD PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 1
    Mitch Hayes, MD - "Performance of MRI Cognitive Fusion Biopsy for Prostate Cancer Affected by Transverse Dimension of Region of Interest"
  • FIRST PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 2
    Harcharan Gill, MD - "In-vitro Functional and Histological Study of the Male Endopelvic Fascia"
  • SECOND PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 2
    Pansy Uberoi, MD, MPH - "Varied Understanding of Mid Urethral Slings among Women"
  • THIRD PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 2
    Rohan Vaidya, MD - "Characterization of Urethral Diverticula in Females"
  • FIRST PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 3
    Tony Chen, MD - "Performance Characteristics of Stone Models in Burst Wave Lithotripsy Research"
  • SECOND PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 3
    Heiko Yang, MD, PHD - "A Microbiome Exists In the Upper Urinary Tract of Stone Formers: A Pilot Study"
  • THIRD PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 3
    Dima Raskolnikov, MD - "Multi-institutional Variation in Performance of Low Dose Computerized Tomography for the Evaluation of Suspected Nephrolithiasis"
  • FIRST PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 4
    Ronald Swerdloff, MD - "Efficacy and Safety of a New Oral Testosterone (TU) Formulation in Hypogonadal Men: Results from the 'inTUne' Trial"
  • SECOND PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 4
    Julie Wong, B.Eng, MD - "Patients Accessing the Vancouver Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Program's Sexual Health Service (SHS)"
  • THIRD PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 4
    Theodore Crisostomo-Wynne, MD - "Regenerative Medicine Approach Using Novel Therapies to Promote Sexual Function Recovery Following Pelvic Injury"
  • FIRST PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 5
    Son Nguyen, MD - "Evaluating Re-operation Rates After Primary Distal Hypospadias Repair"
  • SECOND PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 5
    Deborah Jacobson, MD, MS - "Efficacy of Caudal Versus Penile Blocks in Hypospadias Repair"
  • THIRD PLACE - BEST OF POSTER SESSION 5
    Suzanne Lange, MD - "At-home Use of Parasacral Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (PTENS) for Pediatric Voiding Dysfunction: A Safety and Feasibility Study"

In Memoriam

On a sad note, in April, we lost our first and long-time Executive Director of the WSAUA for 53 years, Frank J. DeSantis, CAE, (pictured right) and just recently (on Dec. 20, 2020) our Historian and 2004 past-president, Martin L. Dresner (Dr. Jazz) passed away. Both will be deeply missed. A eulogy for both is planned for the business meeting in Indian Wells during the 2021 meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

WSAUA Election Results, 2020-2021 Leadership
Historic election: First female president - Kathleen Kobashi, MD

Photo taken during Monterey 2019 Annual Meeting:
Pictured from left to right: Chris DeSantis (Exec dir), Sia Daneshmand, MD (Secretary), Kathleen Kobashi, MD (President), Chris Porter, MD (Pres-elect), Chris Amling, MD (Immediate past-president), Jeffrey Frankel, MD (2019 president), Scott Swanson, MD (AUA President), Joe Presti, Jr., MD (2018 president), Martin Dresner, MD (historian - who passed on Dec. 20), Jeannie DeSantis (Assoc director), not shown - Chris Kane, MD (Treasurer)

 

Western Section AUA’s Distinguished Member 2020

Eila Skinner, MD

Dr. Skinner was honored virtually at the Member's Business Meeting on Sunday, December 6. Her outstanding dedication and contributions to Urology made her a worthy choice. Click here for a brief biography of Dr. Skinner's service and accomplishments.

2020 Health Policy Survey Results

Many thanks to the members who took the time to thoughtfully complete the 2020 Health Policy Survey. Please click here to view the survey results.

Obtaining your CME records for WsAUA or AUA meetings

To access your meeting CME records/certificates you will need to log into the AUA website  – Click here

  • Keep checking if data is not there yet – the AUA must upload and process the data.
  • Certificates for specific activities may be printed from the AUA University transcript page by clicking on the activity title and following the on-screen instructions.
  • If you are unable to login, need a password reset, or are unsure of your AUA ID number contact AUA Customer Service at customerservice@auanet.org or via 800-908-9414.

2019 Meeting Recap

Check out the WsAUA Mainstream Newsletter – lots of great photos of the Monterey 2019 meeting are included!

Click here to view

Other big news this year...

 

WSAUA Past-President (2007) Scott K. Swanson, MD elected as AUA President

Scott K. Swanson, MD, FACS- AUA President, 5/19/2020 - 9/13/2021

The WSAUA is proud to announce its 2007 Past President, Scott Swanson (AZ), was elected the AUA President as of May 19, 2020.  Congratulations, Dr Swanson! The Western Section AUA wishes you great success during your term.

 

WSAUA Member Peter Bretan, MD is re-elected as CMA President for a 2nd term, 2021

The Western Section AUA is proud to announce that Dr. Peter N. Bretan, Jr., Past-President of the California Urological Association and Western Section AUA Public Policy Council Representative, was re-elected as President of the California Medical Association, the voice of 43,000 physicians. We wish to congratulate Dr. Bretan and wish him a successful 2nd term.

Congratulations 2020 AUA Awardees from Western Section

Victor A. Politano Award:

The Victor A. Politano Award is presented annually to an individual for outstanding research and work in the field of incontinence and for enhancing the treatment of incontinent patients, thereby helping to improve their quality of life.

Mary Ann Lynn Stothers, MD, MHSc will receive this award for excellence in advancing innovative methods for treating urinary incontinence throughout the world.

Presidential Citations:

Presidential Citations are presented to individuals deemed to have significantly promoted the cause of urology. Each recipient is chosen by the AUA President. This honor will be bestowed upon the following individuals:

  • Jeffrey M. Frankel, MD

for tireless support and diplomatic advocacy for high quality private practice care within organized medicine

  • Michael L. Ritchey, MD

for outstanding contributions to pediatric urologic oncology, and leadership with ABU and ABMS supporting urologic certification

A big shout out to our....

2020 Resident Scholarship Fund Donors

Thank you all for your support of the Residents!

And last but not least...mark your calendars for the 2021 meeting in Indian Wells, CA

97th Annual Meeting
Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells
October 31  to Nov 4, 2021

...and have a Happy New Year!