Quick Links to Special Sections •  Overview •  Application Procedure •  Selection & Appointment •  Educational Program •  Program Description •  Clinical Services & Facilities •  Faculty

The Urology Residency Program at UCLA is a fully accredited 6 year program. The first 18 months are spent in General Surgery with monthly rotations through surgical subspecialties. The remaining years are spent entirely in urology training with one year designated for research. Residents obtain comprehensive training in urodynamics, renal transplantation, female urology, oncology, endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery, pediatric urology, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, adrenal surgery and renovascular surgery.

Research is an integral part of the training experience in the UCLA Department of Urology. Our Department is fortunate to have excellent clinicians and researchers on faculty working on a wide variety of research projects. We firmly believe this has enabled us to build a comprehensive and cohesive academic residency program.The UCLA Urology Residency Program fulfills the requirements of the American Board of Urology and is fully accredited by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. Upon completion of training, UCLA Urology residents are ready to enter all aspects of urological surgery.

The UCLA commitment to academics is demonstrated by the career choices of its residents. Recent graduates of the program have been granted American Foundation for Urologic Disease, Inc. (AFUD) fellowships. Many former residents have entered private practice in Southern California and are active members of our Clinical Faculty. Others have joined the faculty of various medical schools. Five former residents direct urology training programs at major universities across the country.

Sample Resident Contract (pdf file)

(Back to Top)

Residency Application Procedure

Applications should be made during the fourth year of medical school. After completed application packets have been reviewed, qualified applicants are invited for an interview in the Fall. Our program participates in the NRMP and American Urological Association matches. We require that the R1 and R2 years be taken in the training program at UCLA.

The UCLA Department of Urology interviews applicants on scheduled interview dates only. Interviews are by invitation only on Saturday, October 29 and Saturday, November 5, 2005. The purpose of the interview is to allow the applicant to become acquainted with the Residency Program in order to make an appropriate decision and to facilitate the choice of residents by the UCLA faculty. The interview is intended to be a relaxed experience with ample time to meet the faculty and tour the facilities. Applicants will have the opportunity to discuss the training program with junior and senior residents. A formal presentation of the philosophy and objectives of the training program will be outlined for the applicants and individual interviews will be scheduled with the full-time faculty. The interview process usually lasts from 8:00AM until noon.

Application Requirements:

• Electronic Residency Application (pdf file)
• http://www.aamc.org/audienceeras.htm
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement
• Medical School Transcripts
• USMLE Step 1 Score
• Registration with the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
• Dean's Letter

  (Back to Top)

Selection & Appointment

Three residents are chosen each year to begin the General Surgery R1 year and advance to the Urology Residency Program beginning eighteen (18) months later. Each resident is appointed for a one-year term. Successive yearly appointments in the six-year postgraduate training program are based on the resident's performance during the preceding year. Each resident's work is evaluated by the faculty before a decision for promotion is made. There is graduated responsibility in the training program so that each resident performs duties and surgery commensurate with his/her ability and training. Residents are responsible for teaching and supervising those at lower levels.

(Back to Top)

Educational Program

A comprehensive organized educational program ensures that all residents are aware of recent developments in urology. This is achieved through monthly Journal Clubs where faculty and residents discuss recent research literature. Weekly didactic sessions cover the full spectrum of urology, with individual faculty members sharing their specific areas of expertise. Collateral reading material is provided for these sessions.

Residents are encouraged to attend medical meetings and to exchange ideas with prominent surgical and urological visitors. In recent years, UCLA urology residents have presented papers at the AUA Annual Meeting, The Society of University Surgeons, Society of Basic Urologic Research, American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Association for Cancer Research. Each year distinguished urologists from the United States and abroad come to UCLA as visiting professors, providing our residents with a rich learning experience.

The major emphasis of the program is on the attainment of clinical and urological expertise. Upon completion of training, the resident is well qualified to enter either clinical practice or academic urology.

(Back to Top)

Program Description

The first 18 months of residency training are spent rotating through general surgery and other surgical subspecialties, followed by 6 months in urodynamics, endourology and infertility.

The third-year urology resident (R3) is involved in diagnostic urology, preoperative and postoperative care, and in initiating the urological surgical experience. R3 residents concentrate on outpatient care and endoscopy. Residents assist in open urologic surgery, performing uncomplicated procedures under the direct supervision of the senior resident and faculty.

Research is an integral part of the training experience at the UCLA Department of Urology. Our Department is fortunate to have excellent clinicians and researchers on faculty working on a wide variety of research projects. We firmly believe this has enabled us to build a comprehensive and cohesive academic residency program.

The Department has laboratory space a the UCLA Medical Center and at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center. These laboratories are directed by research associates, staffed with technicians and are supervised by Urology faculty members who are dedicated to research. Every year the Urology fourth-year (R4) residents choose a research project in one of these facilities and work with a faculty mentor to develop their specific project. During this research year, the residents are then given the opportunity to present four progress reports to the faculty members.

This research year is an integral part of our residency program and we are, therefore, dedicated to the continued practice of offering our residents a forum by which to explore their research interests.

The R5 resident performs the majority of endoscopic surgery and serves as first assistant to the chief resident at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital. He/she serves as chief resident for eight months during rotations through Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.

In the R6 year the resident becomes chief resident and is responsible for the overall management of the Urology Service and performs the majority of the urological surgery. Eight months are spent at UCLA performing surgery with supervision of the faculty as required. Chief residents do approximately 75% of all private surgical cases under the direct supervision of the faculty member. During the four months as chief resident at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital, the R6 is in charge of the urology service and faculty assistance is available.

Contact information:

Stacey Wilson
Academic Affairs Coordinator
Department of Urology
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
10833 Le Conte Avenue, Rm. 66-134 CHS
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1738
Phone: (310) 206-8177
Fax: (310) 206-5343
Email: swhyatt@mednet.ucla.edu

(Back to Top)

Clinical Services & Training Facilities

UCLA has established affiliation agreements with four hospitals and a stone treatment center in the Los Angeles area to provide training in all areas of Urology: UCLA Medical Center, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Olive View Medical Center, West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Urology residents are responsible for providing oncall coverage for the urology service at their assigned hospitals. On average, residents are on call every two to three days with at least one free weekend each month. Each resident has a one month vacation annually.

UCLA Center for the Health Sciences

UCLA attracts large numbers of complicated, unusual and difficult cases from the greater Los Angeles area and all over the United States. Patients at UCLA include private, clinic, adult, pediatric, male, female, renal transplantation, and lithotripsy patients. Medical student teaching is the responsibility of both the residents and full time faculty.

UCLA has an active renal transplantation service including a large number of pediatric transplantation cases. There is ample opportunity to train in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and to receive certification in this technique. Residents are also trained in laparoscopic and laser surgery.

West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Hospital

At this hospital residents are encouraged to function independently, make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, and impart their knowledge to fellow residents and medical students. Carol Bennett MD, Chief of the Department of Urology, and members of the clinical faculty assist in surgery and teach in the clinic.

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

This county hospital provides an excellent mix of adult male and female patients and excellent clinical experience in renal transplantation, trauma and pediatric urology. Harbor has an active transplantation service. Jacob Rajfer, MD is the Chief of the Department of Urology.

Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

This county hospital provides the residents with experience in general urologic treatment of pediatric as well as adult patients. Residents are encouraged to function independently, with guidance available from William Aronson, MD, Chief of the Department of Urology, and from members of the clinical faculty.

(Back to Top)

Faculty

The full-time faculty of the Department of Urology maintain overall responsibility for the educational program. In addition, the Clinical Faculty, consisting of 26 Board-certified urologists, teach residents and students in the outpatient clinics and assist in surgery. The Clinical Faculty also attend and contribute to rounds and teaching conferences of the Department.

(Back to Top)