AUA 2017: Surgical Adaptation and Adoption of Skills: Staying Relevant in the Modern Age

Boston, MA (UroToday.com) We (the profession) need bold and creative leadership to establish more opportunities for practicing urologists. In this Plenary session, Dr. Robert Sweet from the University of Washington discussed how practicing urologists can stay relevant in the modern age with surgical adaptation and adoption of skills. If urologists are considering adopting new technology in their practice then Dr. Sweet contends that the new technology must be markedly different than existing technology, it must involve a learning curve, individuals must know what the privileging process is at their hospital, it must provide patients with a perceived benefit, and there must be a way to closely monitor the patients.

There are many training opportunities available to urologists today. They include industry-sponsored courses, which must have a structured curriculum, specialty hands-on courses at the AUA and World Congress of Endourology, the AUA university available on line, mini-fellowships at institutions such as University of California, Irvine and the University of Chicago, local simulation training centers and exchange programs. When urologists adopt new technology, Dr. Sweet argues that they should be trained not to competency but to proficiency.

Urologists need to create their own future. In order for our profession to succeed in the modern age Dr. Sweet insists that we must be supportive and not punitive, focus on quality, value, and easy access. Training opportunities need to be implemented, studied and molded in real time so that new surgical skills are adopted easily and so that practicing urologists continue to stay relevant.

Authors: Robert Sweet, MD

Written By: Roshan M. Patel for UroToday.com

at the 2017 AUA Annual Meeting - May 12 - 16, 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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