Urology Specialty at a Glance

Urology, often referred to as the surgical specialty of the genitourinary tract, offers an intriguing blend of surgical expertise and clinical management. A student should study this topic if they:

• Are fascinated by the intricacies of human anatomy and physiology, particularly of the urinary system.

• Seek opportunities to address diverse conditions affecting the genitourinary tract, from kidney stones to urologic cancers.

• Are drawn to the dynamic and evolving landscape of surgical innovation and technology within urology.

• Aspire to improve patient outcomes through a combination of surgical precision and compassionate care.

• Desire to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge and innovation in the field of urology.

Yes, read about urology on the AUA website. Also, check out their YouTube channel.

Meet urology faculty — the best way is to get involved in research. Subscribe to the AUA podcast.

Review the AUA Core Curriculum, which includes contributions from one of IU School of Medicine's faculty members, Charles Powell, MD.

Students should explore electives in community urology, urogynecology, urologic cancer preceptorship, gender affirming surgery, pediatric urology or basic laparoscopy and urologic laparoscopic/robotic surgery.

Students interested in urology should take the surgery sub-I.

Away rotations are recommended for students applying to urology residency programs. The selection of programs for these rotations will depend on your competitiveness and degree of interest in each program. Away rotations are arranged through the Visiting Student Application Services (VSAS).

For IU students, we recommend completing two away rotations in your fourth year between June and October. Please discuss with faculty at IU School of Medicine when selecting specific programs.

Research in this specialty is very important as a means to get to know faculty. If the research is specific to urology that is also a plus to meet the faculty.

Residency training for urology is a five year program.

It is recommended to get one letter from the chair and one from the program director, plus a faculty member you know very well.

• Learn about the Department of Urology

• American Urological Association podcast

• American Urological Association core curriculum

Students can contact the urology program director Chandru Sundaram, MD, to ask if there are available faculty to mentor students. This is best facilitated through research.