Program Overview

View complete rotation schedule here.

Training Site Description
OHSU University Service High volume, complex cases at quaternary referral center with oncology, endourology, FPMRS, reconstructive, fertility cases. Abdominal organ transplant service.
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Complex pediatric urology cases, including robotics. Multi-disciplinary spina bifida and stone clinic.
Portland VA Medical Center one of the highest urology volume VAs in the nation, with exposure to multi-disciplinary oncology and all urologic subspecialties.
Kaiser Portland Two locations with high volume general urology, resident-led clinic.

Internship training

General Surgery, Pre-Urology, U-1

  • Rotating surgical internship with thirteen separate 4-week rotations
  • Six-months of urology, six-months of general surgery
  • Interns are integral members of the surgical team and are directly responsible for patient care in addition to being involved in the operating room.
  • In addition to direct patient care, interns have protected time to participate in urology and general surgery educational conferences.

Residency training

Clinical Urology, U-2

  • Four months each of adult general urology services at the University Hospital, Veterans Administration Medical Center, and Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
  • The U-2 resident works closely with senior residents, fostering a close educational relationship.
  • The U-2 resident gains experience with endoscopic and other diagnostic procedures, performing inpatient and outpatient urologic workups and select surgical procedures.
  • Training objectives are to master urologic signs and symptoms, become familiar with common adult and pediatric urologic diseases, to learn the appropriate selection and interpretation of urologic imaging tests, and to achieve proficiency in the functional and anatomic evaluation of the urinary tract and genitalia.

Clinical Urology, U-3

  • Four months are spent at Kaiser Medical Center, four months at the Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), two months with Transplant Surgery, and two months of protected research time.
  • At Kaiser, the resident gets experience with patient care in the setting of a prepaid health care plan within an independent health care system. The primary objectives of the Kaiser rotation are to learn skills and standard practice habits from the attending urologists, to expand and consolidate endoscopic skills, and to gain further experience with open and laparoscopic surgical procedures.
  • About 130 renal transplants are performed each year and the resident has the responsibility for preoperative and post-operative care of these patients. There are frequent opportunities to deal with fluid and electrolyte problems, acute and chronic renal failure, immunosuppression, hypertension, infectious diseases, and other difficult medical problems.
  • On the abdominal transplant service, the urology resident works closely with Dr Barry as well as the general surgery resident and faculty. While the focus is renal transplant, residents also participate in liver and pancreas transplants. Residents also gain valuable knowledge in the care of complex patients.
  • At the VAMC, residents will lead their own outpatient clinic while continuing to develop endoscopic, open, and robotic surgical skills. This is also an opportunity to develop leadership skills while mentoring the junior residents on the team.

Clinical Urology, U-4

  • Four months combined urology research and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery experience, four months of pediatric urology and four months of training at Kaiser Medical Center.
  • For research, the resident has freedom in designing feasible laboratory or clinical projects. Ongoing clinical projects can be completed during this time, and opportunities to develop special surgical skills or animal models for surgical problems can be arranged with the assistance of OHSU Animal Care. The research resident also performs male sterilization procedures (vasectomies) for Planned Parenthood on a scheduled basis (1/2 day per month) with Dr Hedges.
  • The pediatric urology rotation consists of combined outpatient and operative experiences. The resident learns the orderly assessment of developmental, neurologic, and functional urologic problems, and learns appropriate management skills. The outpatient clinical experience includes pre- and postoperative care, but also emphasizes the long-term evaluation and treatment of permanent or dynamic urologic disorders.
  • The female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery rotation combines clinical and operative experiences in urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic reconstructive surgery, and management of neurogenic bladder and complex voiding dysfunction. The resident will also participate in outpatient clinical management.

Clinical Urology, U-5

  • The Chief Resident year is divided into three, four-month rotations on the urology services at the University Hospital and Veterans Administration Medical Center.
  • The chief resident is responsible for the inpatient services as well as the teaching of junior residents, interns, and medical students who rotate on the urology services. This resident serves as a primary urologic consultant at either hospital but continues to have support from the faculty.
  • The chief resident has discretion over the assignment of surgical and clinical responsibilities to junior residents and interns.
  • Additionally, the chief resident participates in the outpatient urology clinics, including urologic oncology. Administrative duties of the chief include call schedules and all arrangements relevant to the care of his or her clinic patients.
  • Training focuses on both open surgery and minimally invasive techniques, including the use of the Da Vinci Xi and Single Port robots. There will be opportunities to participate in research and scholarly activity.
  • It is expected that the resident will emerge from the chief residency year as a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and technically proficient surgeon who is well prepared to enter the next phase of his or her career.