Fellowship in Endourology

URMC Urology Endourology Fellowship 

Discover exceptional prospects for advanced clinical training, pioneering research, and immersive teaching in our esteemed two-year URMC Urology Endourology Fellowship. Under the guidance of seasoned faculty and with access to cutting-edge facilities, this program offers a comprehensive experience to propel your career in urological surgery to new heights.

What Makes the Endourology Fellowship Unique at the University of Rochester Medical Center?

Clinical Responsibilities

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) has an academic urology department with a wide catchment area for patient referrals.  As such, it attracts a large volume of the most complex patients in the northwest NY region. 

Clinical Goals:

• Fellow involvement in preoperative planning, intraoperative treatment, and postoperative care.
• Focus on robotic procedures (prostatectomy, nephrectomy, cystectomy) and endourology procedures (ureteroscopies, percutaneous, nephrolithotomy, laser enucleation of the prostate).

Surgery Volume:

• In 2023, the program performed 270 HoLEP, 110 PCNL, and 2,000 ureteroscopy surgeries annually. 
• 700 Robotic-assisted surgeries annually.
• Fellow collaborates with six urologists for comprehensive exposure.

Hospital Affiliation:

• Main involvement at Strong Memorial Hospital (SMH), a 886-bed academic medical center.
• State-of-the-art operating rooms for advanced robotic procedures.
• Collaboration with two dedicated endourologists at SMH.

Additional Opportunities:

• Opportunities to operate at Highland Hospital (260-bed), less than 2 miles from SMH.
• Fellows at URMC can utilize resources across the entirety of the University of Rochester.
• In addition, there is a very active animal research facility with several full-time veterinarians and technicians, to allow laparoscopic animal surgeries. 

Goals and Objectives

• Training in Robot-assisted procedures and advanced procedures for treatment of malignant and benign urological diseases
• Training in endourology and advanced procedures for treatment of urolithiasis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and other benign urological diseases.
• Provide a foundation for the development, evaluation, and delivery of emerging technologies and their educational curricula.
• Provide resources and mentorship for research in endourology, including clinical research, simulation, and device testing and validation.

Structure

Two-year fellowship with adherence to Endourological Society clinical and research completion requirements.  This includes completing the requisite number of index operations as well as research protocols, presentations and manuscripts.

1. Year 1
   • 3 days clinical and surgical training
   • 2 days academic (research and teaching activities)
2. Year 2
   • 4 days clinical
   • 1 day academic (research and teaching activities)

Teaching and Educational Service

• The fellow will be expected to attend and contribute to monthly departmental journal clubs.  This will include identification of new studies in the field prior to each meeting as well as critical analysis and participation in discussion.
• The fellow will give a minimum of 2 lectures to the residents or the department at weekly academic study meetings or weekly grand rounds regarding the latest literature relevant to the subspecialty.
• Participation in wet lab training sessions for residents will be part of the teaching requirement.
• Finally, hands-on teaching of residents and students during operative time is expected. 

Simulation Training

Comprehensive Simulation Curriculum:

• Engage in a proficiency-based simulation curriculum.
• Progress through basic skills training to procedural simulation on lifelike endourology models.

Adjunct to Clinical Education:

• Utilize simulation facilities alongside clinical and operative education.
• Enhance proficiency in live cases while applying skills learned in simulation scenarios.

Innovation in Surgical Education:

• Participate in projects focusing on simulation-based surgical education and training.
• Contribute to advancing the field by blending hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

Research

• The fellow will have protected time to pursue clinical and basic science research opportunities.
• The Department of Urology has facilities and faculty available to facilitate both basic science and clinical research.
• Completion requirements as set by the Endourological Society will be followed.

Clinical Research

Cutting-Edge Databases:

• Embark on a journey of innovation in Minimal Invasive Surgery and Stones with our evolving end-to-end database and registry software.
• Existing robust clinical databases in kidney stone disease, laser enucleation of the prostate, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and patient reported outcomes.
• Seamless integration with EMR and REDCap for comprehensive data management.

Dynamic Research Hub:

• Leverage the UR CTSI as a catalyst for research ideas, offering workshops and mentoring sessions in grant applications and career development.
• Dedicated contacts within UR CTSI for health services research and statistical analysis support.

Prospective Trials and Collaboration:

• Join the department's commitment to high-quality, multi-institutional prospective trials.
• Clinical trial staff support for fellow participation in ongoing studies.

Mentorship and Research Protocols:

• Engage in mentorship with endourology attendings to craft and submit research protocols to the IRB.
• Monthly meetings for ongoing research supervision and collaborative idea development.

Innovative Research Culture:

• Anticipate a rapidly growing repository of endourology data, fostering both prospective and retrospective clinical research.
• Actively contribute to the development of a robust database through your involvement in groundbreaking research.

Simulation-Based Research

• Our team at the Surgical Research and Genitourinary Engineering (SURGE) Lab is generating the most high-fidelity models of genitourinary organs in the field. 
• These models have been used extensively in resident training as well surgery rehearsal. 
• The fellow will participate in ongoing and new research projects studying the value and efficiency of these models in training residents critical skills without the high-pressure situation or patient safety concerns of a live surgery.  As the model technology and fidelity improve, so too will the applicability to training and rehearsal concepts.

Salary

• Equivalent to University of Rochester Medical Center PGY 7 level.

Prerequisites

• Completion of an approved ACGME urology residency or foreign urologic training program equivalent.
• Valid New York State License

Interested applicants should forward their application (obtained through Endourological Society), CV, and 2 to 3 letters of recommendation with a cover letter to the attention of:

Scott Quarrier, M.D., M.P.H., and Guan Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Rochester Medical Center
601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 656
Rochester, NY 14642
Phone: (585) 756-5469

Fellowship Program Coordinator Email: Elisa_Campolieto@URMC.Rochester.edu

Current Fellow:

Dr. Victor Sandoval

Core Faculty

Other Key Faculty