Trainee experience

Curriculum in the Urology Fellowship consists of online and in-person didactics, clinical rotations in the urology specialty and subspeciality outpatient clinics, OR observation, cystoscopy training, and inpatient exposure. 

During this program, learning experiences allow you to:

• Enhance urologic knowledge and acquire practical skills of assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and treatment outcomes 
• Increase critical-thinking skills in comprehensive urologic care
• Develop skills needed to perform urological procedures
• Gain exposure to outpatient in-office procedures (cystoscopy, prostate biopsy, penile ultrasound, penile injections, vasectomy, testosterone pellet injection, circumcision).
• Develop self-directed skills to stay abreast of updated clinical knowledge and practice guidelines
• Demonstrate cultural competency and respect for diversity in all professional interactions
• Promote the advancement of urology through practice, education, and research

Clinical training and rotations

The fellowship includes these clinical experiences:

• General urology
• Endourology
• Urologic oncology
• Female urology
• Neurourology
• Reconstructive urology
• Men's health
• Pediatric urology (optional if not certified for pediatrics)
• Cystoscopy training
• Urodynamics
• Independent practice and elective 

Didactic coursework

Didactic education:

• Weekly required meetings include urology morbidity and mortality conference, urology imaging and pathology conference, and urology journal club
• Additional meetings available include GU tumor board, GU reconstructive case conference, and multidisciplinary stone clinic meeting
• Urology NP/PA lunch and learns monthly
• Mayo Clinic NP/PA grand rounds monthly
• Mayo Clinic medical grand rounds weekly
• Fellows are paired with NP/PA and/or MD mentor
• Fellows are required to complete the bronze quality improvement certification

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is committed to developing and maintaining the best education programs. The curriculum and other aspects of this program are assessed constantly and changed as necessary to ensure the highest quality training.

Schedule and hours

The learning schedule includes primarily weekday hours with approximately 40 hours weekly. This does not include additional time spent on didactic responsibilities. The rotations may vary with eight-to-ten hour days, five days a week depending on outpatient or inpatient schedule.

You have exposure to urologic care in both outpatient and inpatient settings, including adult and pediatric care. The primary focus of the fellowship is on management of the adult urologic patient in the outpatient setting.

Department and faculty

The Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Urology Fellowship is coordinated and taught by the clinical, scientific, and technical staff of Mayo Clinic. Faculty members are chosen for their commitment to teaching, as well as their clinical practice and research. Many have published and lectured extensively and are highly regarded in their fields. Fellows will work closely with NP/PAs as well as surgeons and resident trainees in subspecialty clinics and hospital rotations. You have direct access to these individuals throughout the training program.

Visiting professors and lecturers

A hallmark of higher education excellence is the breadth and depth of information and experience provided to students by faculty and visiting experts. Many prominent professors visit Mayo Clinic each year to lecture on their areas of medical and scientific expertise.

As a fellow at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, you are encouraged to learn from these valuable resources by attending all relevant conferences, lectures, and seminars prepared for students, interns, residents, fellows, and consulting staff.

Facilities

Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, includes an extensive outpatient complex, Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, and substantial research and education facilities. This Mayo Clinic site is among the largest, most advanced medical centers in the world.

Evaluation

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences uses these evaluative tools:

• Written examination
• Demonstration of skills
• Self-assessment exercises
• Faculty reviews

Mayo Clinic's system of evaluation provides students and faculty with a comprehensive look at individual performance. This allows faculty and administrative staff to direct students who are experiencing academic difficulty to the appropriate support resources, including tutoring programs and counseling opportunities.