During the first year of the Urologic Oncology Fellowship, you have the opportunity to perform and lead basic science or clinical research. The second year is dedicated to clinical rotations.

Clinical training

Clinical rotations focus on minimally invasive and open approaches to the full spectrum of urologic oncology cases. Fellows have full responsibility for running inpatient and outpatient urology services and actively participate in surgery.

Experience with urologic oncology clinical trials and translational research is also available, providing exposure to the medical and surgical aspects of treating advanced urologic malignancies, especially renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer and testicular cancer.

Fellows assist in teaching urology residents and attend bimonthly urology oncology multidisciplinary conferences. Full participation in the academic lecture program within the Department of Urology is expected, as are presentations on the regional and national levels.

Rotation descriptions

You are paired for one-to-one rotations with urology faculty members who have high-volume practices devoted to urologic oncology, typically for eight- or nine-week intervals.

Call frequency

Currently, urologic oncology fellows are not required to take call.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting should not interfere with the required learning and must not violate the work hour rules of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or visa regulations. Moonlighting should not compromise the fellow's education, but rather enhance it.

Research training

The research year provides you with opportunities in basic science, clinical research and health care outcomes research. You can also complete the courses for a master's degree in clinical and translational science through Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences during the first year of the fellowship. The tuition is covered by the Department of Urology.

Didactic training

Clinical conferences, seminars, small discussion groups, journal clubs and one-on-one instruction are integral parts of this fellowship.

Conferences

The Urologic Oncology Fellowship includes a bimonthly multidisciplinary genitourinary oncology conference to review and discuss cases, as well as a monthly journal club conference with the Urologic Oncology faculty. Additionally, fellows attend a monthly didactic lecture series given by the faculty. Urologic Oncology fellows also attend the weekly imaging and pathology case conference with all the trainees and physician faculty in the Department of Urology, including a monthly Morbidity and Mortality Conference.

Teaching opportunities

You have the opportunity to interact and participate in teaching residents during the clinical year.

Evaluation

To ensure that you acquire adequate knowledge and develop appropriate technical skills, individual performance is monitored carefully during the Urologic Oncology Fellowship. You are formally evaluated by supervising faculty members on a regular basis and meet with the program director to review these evaluations. In addition, you regularly evaluate the faculty to ensure that your educational needs are being met.