Duke Urology Residency Research

The Department of Urology offers a Urology Surgeon-Scientist Research Year during PGY3 that is dedicated both to research experiences and learning. The research experiences are under the guidance of experienced primary and secondary mentors and includes clinical, basic science, NSR and translational research projects, applications for funding, and meeting abstract and paper submissions. Mentor selection officially begins during PGY2 and is aided by a Mentor Fair event, during which available mentors present the research opportunities that they offer.

Together with the Research Year Director, the residents and their mentor(s) design a research year plan, including a research year proposal and Gantt chart creation to ensure feasibility for the proposed activities. Progress is monitored by quarterly meetings with the residents and their mentors with the Research Year Director. Adjustments can be made along the way, depending on progress and interest. This oversight ensures a rewarding and successful experience for each resident. Metrics for success include project funding application submission, meeting abstract submissions and presentations, and paper writing, submission, and publications.

In addition, we offer a year-long lecture/interactive course for the urology research residents, research fellows, and research year medical students in Urology. The course has been developed and refined over the past 10 years by faculty instructors, and has even attracted attendance from outside of Urology, including urogynecology fellows and biomedical engineering post-doctoral fellows. The curriculum covers a range of topics pertinent to understanding and performing clinical and basic science research. The course also includes group review of meeting abstracts prior to submission, which is invaluable not only as an exercise but also because it dramatically improves the likelihood of abstract acceptance.