Residency Training

The Department of Urology of the Stanford University School of Medicine offers a postgraduate residency training program designed to prepare selected physicians to evaluate, understand, and manage medical and surgical aspects of genitourinary disorders.

In addition to providing a rigorous clinical training program, from its inception the Urology program at Stanford has fostered a unique atmosphere of scientific curiosity and endeavor. Through the years, this has manifested itself in ground-breaking basic and clinical research in renovascular hypertension, adult and pediatric urinary tract infection, treatment of urinary incontinence, neurourology, urinary tract physiology, anatomy and cellular biology of the prostate gland, and genitourinary oncology. The large number of Stanford alumni currently holding academic faculty positions and Chairmanships in Urology is testimony to this history. The most important manifestation of this academic atmosphere is, however, the attention to detail and scientific approach to Urology that characterizes the Stanford Urologist, whatever the location and nature of practice.

Through the resident match, three applicants are selected to enter the residency each year, usually from among graduating 4th year medical students. Selection includes acceptance for the internship and first year residency training in General Surgery at Stanford. Following satisfactory completion of this core training in General Surgery, resident trainees will enter into the formal Urology training program. Although all residents are expected to complete their final year of chief residency four years later, each year's appointment is contingent upon satisfactory progress of the individual resident during the preceding year, and all residency appointments are therefore reviewed and renewed annually.

PGY-1
The first year is spent in General Surgical training, which is designed to provide the trainee with a thorough grounding in general surgical principles, including preoperative and postoperative care of the surgical patient, surgical intensive care, and foundations in technical surgical skills upon which ongoing urologic training will be based.

PGY-2 and PGY-3
PGY-2 and PGY-3 years are spent at the Stanford University Hospital (SUH), Lucille Salter Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH), Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) and at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). Responsibilities of the Junior Residents in Urology include completion of history and physical examinations of urologic patients, assistance with surgical cases in the operating room, preoperative and postoperative care of all urological patients as well as inpatient urology consultations.

PGY-4, Laboratory Experience
After acquiring a solid background in clinical Urology during their Junior Resident year, trainees spend a fully-funded year of training in the laboratories of the Department of Urology. This year is designed for the residents to learn the basic investigative techniques being utilized to advance our understanding of diseases of the genitourinary tract, and acquire an in-depth experience in the modern scientific approach to problem solving. From this experience it is expected that residents will develop a critical approach to learning and practicing urology both during residency and throughout their careers. Considerable flexibility exists for the individual resident to design this year with faculty members to suit their own interests and needs (See Research below).The resident also has some outpatient clinical responsibilities at the Veterans Hospital working in the endoscopy and prostate biopsy clinic.

PGY-5, Senior Resident in Urology
During the PGY-5 year of Urology training, the trainee serves as Senior Resident in Urology for four months at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), and five months on the adult service as Senior Resident, two months in female urology (neurourology) and one month on Stanford Pediatric Urology Service. Under the supervision of the Urology faculty members, the Senior Resident assumes the role of a chief resident of the Urology Service. Together, these four rotations provide a broad training experience, which encompasses all aspects of Urology. The rotation at SCVMC is comparable in depth, breadth, and responsibility to a Chief Resident year at many other programs, and provides our residents with an unusual clinical opportunity.

PGY-6, Chief Resident in Urology
Eight months of the PGY-6 year of urological training is spent at the Stanford University Hospital  as Chief Resident at Stanford University Hospital and Clinics and the other four months at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). During this final year of training, the Chief Residents are afforded considerable responsibility for patient care in the clinics, on the wards, and in the operating rooms. They are also responsible for teaching Junior house staff and medical students, administration of the adult service, and organization and participation in regularly scheduled patient and educational conferences.

SIX YEARS OF RESIDENCY ROTATIONS

PGY-1 - Intern in Surgery

PGY-2 - Resident in Surgery

6 months: General Surgical rotations at Kaiser Hospital, SCVMC, VAPAHCS
2 months: Urology at VAPAHCS
2 months: Urology at SUH
2 months: Pediatric Urology at LPCH

PGY-3 - Junior Resident in Urology

3 months: Pediatric Urology
5 months: General Urology, Neurourology, Oncology, Endourology, etc.
4 months: SCVMC
4 months: VAPAHCS

PGY-4 - Laboratory/Research

PGY-5 - Senior Resident in Urology

PGY-6 - Chief Resident in Urology

General Information

VACATIONS
During each of the four years of urology residency training, each resident receives three weeks of vacation time. This is in addition to time designated for specific meetings.

THE COMMUNITY
The San Francisco Bay Area has a population of several million people. Stanford is centrally located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the midst of Silicon Valley, approximately 40 miles south of San Francisco, and 30 miles north of San Jose, bounded by the local communities of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Various recreational areas, ranging from seaside resorts to skiing areas, and numerous state and national parks are within easy driving distance from Stanford. The local elementary and secondary school systems have a reputation for excellence. The surrounding cities and Stanford University provide a number of cultural and recreational facilities. As members of the Stanford University community, residents and their families may take advantage of a wide range of educational, cultural, and athletic activities of the University. Please check the Stanford University website for further information about Stanford University and Stanford University Medical Center.

HOUSING
Housing information may be obtained by writing to the Graduate Medical Education Office, Room HC435, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305. A housing benefit of $3,000 is provided to incoming housestaff.

EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT
Urology residents are eligible to attend specific meetings during the residency. In addition the Stanford University Medical Center GME office provides $1000 in educational funds each year to each resident for medical books, licenses, loupes, etc.

Application Requirements & Instructions

With rare exceptions, residency applicants must complete their internship and one year of residency training in General Surgery at Stanford. California State Law requires resident physicians to hold a California State Medical License. U.S. or Canadian medical school graduates who have completed more than two years of residency training after July, 2002 must be licensed in California before beginning the 25th month of ACGME training. Those who do not already have a California State Medical License must take and pass the next FLEX examination that follows commencement of residency training. Licensure may also be obtained through the National Boards by reciprocity from other states.

Please note that requirements for medical licensure in California includes a core of clinical rotations during medical school in the following fields:

Surgery: 8 weeks

Internal Medicine: 8 weeks

Pediatrics: 6 weeks

Obstetrics and Gynecology: 6 weeks

Psychiatry: 4 weeks

It should be noted that Stanford University Medical Center is committed to increasing the representation of women and members of minority groups in its residency and fellowship training programs, and particularly encourages applications from such individuals.

Instructions

A. Send requests for information to:

Harcharan Gill, M.D.
Associate Professor
Program Director
Department of Urology, MC: 5118
300 Pasteur Drive, Room S-287
Stanford, California 94305-5118
Attn: Catherine Cooper, Education Program Manager, 650-497-8753 or c1cooper@stanford.edu

Telephone: 650-497-8753
FAX: 650-498-5346

B. The ERAS Application Form and Requirements

NOTE: You can check the ERAS website to confirm that all of the components of your application have been received, and that your application is complete.

C. Completed applications must be received by October 1, 2014

Applicants for urologic training need not apply separately to the General Surgery Program at Stanford. Acceptance into the Stanford Urology Residency automatically confers acceptance into the internship and following year of assistant residency in General Surgery at Stanford.

Applications will be reviewed and applicants will be selected for interviews.

Once selected, applicants will be contacted by the program coordinator to arrange for interviews during November and December.

D. If you have any questions regarding the application process or the status of your application, please contact - Catherine Cooper, Education Program Manager, 650-497-8753 or c1cooper@stanford.edu