Education

Educational Programs

The educational philosophy of the Division of Urology at Albany Medical College has always been based upon a close interaction between residents and faculty such that resident training and activities that are most beneficial for the residents education are always given priority. With the above philosophy setting the tone for the Division, we are able to accomplish our primary objective which is to produce a competent, intelligent urologist who not only knows how and when to operate but, more importantly, when not to operate. These clinical and academic goals are achieved through a structured monthly conference schedule that includes Department of Surgery Grand Rounds, Division of Urology Grand Rounds, Morbidity & Mortality Conference, Pre-op Conference, Urological Oncology Conference, Urological Pathology Conference, Resident Reading Conference, Adult Urological Radiology Conference, Pediatric Urological Radiology Conference, Urodynamics Conference, Pediatric Urology Conference, Chairmans Teaching Conference and Journal Club. Attendance at conferences always takes precedence over all other resident activities with the exception of urgent patient care. Conferences are well attended and attendance is documented.


To ensure clinical competence, the residents are exposed to a wide range of adult and pediatric patients with urologic disease. These patients encompass the entire range of urologic diseases including pediatric urology, urologic oncology, urodynamics, genitourinary trauma, renal transplantation, female urology, infertility, renal vascular hypertension, impotence, nephrolithiasis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. We emphasize the importance of resident involvement in the outpatient setting, at the intake history and physical examination, as well as in the planning of diagnostic testing. The decision for non-operative or operative care is emphasized to be a joint venture of residents and attending urologists. In-hospital care of the urology patients in the preoperative, operative, postoperative and post-discharge setting is ensured by the design of our residency program. Graded responsibility is provided, as a resident matures, in these multiple dimensions of patient care. All major surgery performed on the service by the residents is performed under the direct supervision of the faculty. By the time the residents are in their Chief year, they can function virtually independent of the attending staff. They are viewed as junior faculty by the attending staff and considered instructors for junior residents and students. Not only do the chief residents provide care, but they also supervise the more junior residents and act as consultants to junior residents as well. Finally, although the primary goal is to produce a competent clinician, this is not at the exclusion of research. We feel that basic science and/or clinical research provides an important intellectual embellishment to a training program. In addition to their research rotation, each resident is strongly encouraged to pursue clinical projects with the oversight of a faculty member. This exposure and opportunity to participate in such activities often eventuates in the publication and presentation of research data in regional, national, and international journals and meetings.

The program provides close interaction between residents and faculty and encourages and supports individual research in basic science and clinical studies. Scheduled teaching conferences include urologic oncology, pediatric urology, urologic pathology, and radiology conferences.