UCLA Urology Residency Program: Comprehensive Training for Future Leaders
The UCLA Urology Residency Program stands as a beacon of comprehensive training, molding the next generation of leading physicians and scientists in the field of urology. This fully accredited six-year program is designed to provide residents with a diverse and robust educational experience, encompassing clinical expertise, didactic learning, and research opportunities.
Program Structure and Training
The residency is structured to provide a well-rounded experience. The first year is dedicated to General Surgery, laying a strong foundation in surgical principles. The subsequent four years are focused on General Urology, and one year is dedicated to basic or clinical research. This structure ensures that residents receive comprehensive training in all facets of urology.
Residents obtain comprehensive training in general urology, urologic oncology, female urology and reconstructive surgery, pediatric urology, calculus disease, renal transplantation, infertility and erectile dysfunction, and adrenal surgery. This broad exposure ensures that graduates are well-prepared to handle a wide range of urological conditions.
The program emphasizes both open and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Residents receive broad training in open surgical techniques, endoscopic surgery, laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. This comprehensive approach equips them with the skills necessary to perform a variety of procedures.
Beyond surgical skills, the program also focuses on diagnostic expertise. Residents gain training in performing and interpreting urodynamics, interpreting imaging studies of all modalities including ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, nuclear medicine studies, fluoroscopic studies, and more.
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Upon completion of training, UCLA Urology residents are proficient in all aspects of urological surgery, ready to embark on successful careers in either clinical practice or academic urology.
Research: An Integral Component
Research is an integral part of the training experience in the UCLA Department of Urology. The department boasts excellent clinicians and researchers on faculty working on a wide variety of research projects. This commitment to research fosters a comprehensive and cohesive academic residency program.
The Department has laboratory space at the UCLA Medical Center and at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center. These laboratories are directed by research associates, staffed with technicians and are supervised by Urology faculty members who are dedicated to research. Every year the Urology fourth-year (R4) residents choose a research project in one of these facilities and work with a faculty mentor to develop their specific project. During this research year, the residents are then given the opportunity to present four progress reports to the faculty members.
The Department of Urology collaborates broadly within the UCLA Health System as well as with many UCLA undergraduate and graduate departments in its research endeavors.
Clinical Exposure and Rotations
The program provides diverse clinical experiences across various medical centers, each offering unique patient populations and learning opportunities.
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- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center: This center attracts large numbers of complicated, unusual and difficult cases from the greater Los Angeles area and all over the United States. Patients at UCLA include private, clinic, adult, pediatric, male, female, renal transplantation, and lithotripsy patients. Medical student teaching is the responsibility of both the residents and full time faculty. UCLA has an active renal transplantation service including a large number of pediatric transplantation cases. There is ample opportunity to train in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and to receive certification in this technique. In the R6 year, our chief residents are responsible for the overall management of the Urology Service here.
- West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Hospital: At this hospital residents are encouraged to function independently, make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, and impart their knowledge to fellow residents and medical students. In the R6 year, our chief residents are responsible for the overall management of the Urology Service here.
- Harbor-UCLA Medical Center: This county hospital provides an excellent mix of adult male and female patients and excellent clinical experience in renal transplantation, trauma and pediatric urology. Harbor has an active transplantation service. During the R5 year, our residents take charge here.
- Olive View-UCLA Medical Center: This county hospital provides the residents with experience in general urologic treatment of pediatric as well as adult patients. During the R5 year, our residents take charge here.
- Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center: Here, residents will be exposed to wide variety of basic urologic pathology. Residents will partake in outpatient office based management as well as participating in both inpatient and outpatient urologic surgery. This facility works under the umbrella of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Junior residency years are the 2nd and 3rd years of training. During these years the urology residents gain exposure to infertility, urodynamics, laparoscopic and robotic surgery, pediatric urology, and kidney transplant. In addition, residents are trained in the basics of handling the emergency room and hospital consultations.
Educational Program and Faculty
A comprehensive organized educational program ensures that all residents are aware of recent developments in urology. This is achieved through monthly Journal Clubs where faculty and residents discuss recent research literature. Weekly didactic sessions cover the full spectrum of urology, with individual faculty members sharing their specific areas of expertise. Collateral reading material is provided for these sessions.
The full-time faculty of the Department of Urology maintain overall responsibility for the educational program. In addition, the Clinical Faculty, consisting of Board-certified urologists, teach residents and students in the outpatient clinics and assist in surgery.
Each year distinguished urologists from the United States and abroad come to UCLA as visiting professors, providing our residents with a rich learning experience. Residents are encouraged to attend medical meetings and to exchange ideas with prominent surgical and urological visitors. In recent years, UCLA urology residents have presented papers at the AUA Annual Meeting, The Society of University Surgeons, Society of Basic Urologic Research, American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Association for Cancer Research.
Residency Application Procedure
Applications should be made during the fourth year of medical school. After completed application packets have been reviewed, qualified applicants are invited for an interview in the Fall.
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The UCLA Department of Urology interviews applicants on scheduled interview dates only. Interviews are by invitation only.
The purpose of the interview is to allow the applicant to become acquainted with the Residency Program in order to make an appropriate decision and to facilitate the choice of residents by the UCLA faculty. The interview is intended to be a relaxed experience with ample time to meet the faculty and tour the facilities. Applicants will have the opportunity to discuss the training program with junior and senior residents. There is graduated responsibility in the training program so that each resident performs duties and surgery commensurate with his/her ability and training.
Our program participates in the Urology Residency Match Program, administered by the American Urological Association (AUA), which now includes an integrated preliminary (PGY-1) year in the full course of training. Applicants participating in the AUA Match are no longer are required to register with the Main Residency Match to obtain the PGY-1 year of training.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
UCLA is a top tier research institution with dedicated and experienced faculty, a superb hospital system, and an incredibly diverse multicultural environment. Couple that with UCLA Urologyâs commitment to maintaining high standards for its educational programs and these are the key ingredients for extraordinary learning.
As part of its commitment to high-impact education, UCLA Urology convened an important Grand Rounds session for faculty, residents, students and staff to examine the issue of racism and its destructive impact on medical professionals, patients and society in general.
Fellowships and Career Paths
The UCLA commitment to academics is demonstrated by the career choices of its residents. Many former residents have obtained (AFUD) Fellowships, Robert Wood Johnson Fellowships, and many other prestigious subspecialty fellowships across the country. Many former residents who have entered private practice in Southern California are active members of our Clinical Faculty.
UCLA Urology has fellowship programs in: andrology, endourology, health services, urologic oncology, female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery, and renal transplantation.
The major emphasis of the program is on the attainment of clinical and urological expertise. Upon completion of training, the resident is well qualified to enter either clinical practice or academic urology.
Accreditation
The UCLA Urology Residency Program fulfills the requirements of the American Board of Urology and is fully accredited by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education.
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