Urology
The Urologic Surgery Residency training program is dedicated to providing a diverse experience in both the clinical and surgical management of all conditions in urology as well as exposure to research methods and opportunities. Our primary goal is to train residents to be competent general urologists. We make an intense effort to produce residents who are skillful surgeons as well as physicians who have developed the skills to be leaders in their chosen environment.
Residents will be trained by a core faculty, representing a comprehensive breadth of subspecialty practice and clinical research including:
- Female urology and pelvic health
- Incontinence
- Neurourology
- Kidney stone disease
- Urologic oncology
- Reconstructive urology
An Inside Look at the Urology Residency Program
Experience and Exposure: A Resident's View
Flexible and Tailored Mentorship: Our Faculty’s Perspective
Where You Will Train
Urology residents will rotate through Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) and additional hospital locations and offices that are either attached to the main hospital or very close. Greater than 9,000 urologic related procedures are performed annually each year across our sites, many using cutting edge surgical facilities and technology. Faculty is heavily involved in clinical research, clinical trial and collaborative endeavors.
Residents will have training opportunities at one of three locations:
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Carolinas Medical Center
CMC is an 874-bed hospital located in the Dilworth neighborhood and is the flagship hospital for Atrium Health where greater than 80% of time is spent.
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Atrium Health Mercy
Atrium Health Mercy, a facility of Carolinas Medical Center, is a 185-bed adult tertiary acute care hospital located in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte. It is approximately one mile away from the main campus. An additional general surgery service provides care at this hospital and is well incorporated into the resident’s rotation scheduled starting in their second year.
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Atrium Health University City
Atrium Health University City is a 130-bed adult acute care facility located 12 miles from the primary teaching site, Carolinas Medical Center. The educational opportunity provided at this location will include a large exposure to outpatient surgery as well as some inpatient surgery and an efficient outpatient private general urology clinic model.
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What Residents are Saying About the Urology Program
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“CMC Urology has continued to surpass my expectations for residency with its impressive surgical experience, exposure to all sub-specialties, and mentorships I have fostered. Having a supportive faculty and close-knit group of co-residents that feel like family was a priority for me, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to train here. Living in Charlotte is also a bonus and has something to offer for everyone, whether that be hiking on your weekends off or hopping around to breweries.”
Cassandra M. Schuster, MD
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“CMC Urology residency provides top quality education and surgical experience. However, I think the best thing about CMC Urology is the people. While our case volume is unbelievable and I am certain that I will finish residency prepared to enter practice, the relationships and mentorship that I have gained are something that I will always keep with me.”
Rachel A. Locke, MD
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“As a new resident to CMC urology, I am surprised by the amount of OR time I’ve been able to participate in during my first two months. From cystoscopies to radical orchiectomies, I’ve been enjoying the learning opportunities from the large case volume and comprehensive mentorship. I have already been plugged into research projects and conversations on career planning. Whether fellowship or private practice is in my future, my colleagues are a wealth of knowledge to tap into. In addition to a great residency team, Charlotte is a great place to live with many outdoor and scenic activities. I could not have transitioned as well to residency without the support of my colleagues and great city.”
Warrick M. Sahene, MD
Meet the Faculty
Meet the Faculty
“Our program strives to provide world class surgical training, in a close-knit community. As a large tertiary care facility in a rapidly growing urban setting, our clinical volume is impressive. But we still believe our culture is our best asset. By focusing on valuing our residents and faculty we facilitate personal and professional growth in everything we do. Our residents play a crucial role in shaping, growing and improving our program. We pride ourselves in training the best urologists, in the best environment.”
Alison C. Keenan, MD
Program Director, Urology Residency Program
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Peter E. Clark, MDChairman, Department of Urology
With a nationally and internationally renowned team of physicians in urology who serve as faculty, our residents have access to a breadth of experience and knowledge in the program. See the full list of physicians and their specialties here.
Program Curriculum
Residents will receive extensive training and education each year during the program. They will train in specific rotations and become more confident in their skills.
PGY-1 (Intern): Each resident will spend 6 months in general surgical training at Carolinas Medical Center. The remaining 6 months are spent on both inpatient and outpatient general Urology rotations.
PGY-2: During their second year, residents spend time in 3 core rotations focused on inpatient, outpatient and pediatric Urology. This year is designed to give residents additional exposure to all aspects of Urology in order for them to expand their knowledge enabling them to begin their transformation through graduated responsibility from trainee to independent provider.
PGY-3: This year seeks to build on the large Urology base developed during the prior year. Residents spend time (in 2-month blocks) rotating between our Cancer and Consult service.
PGY-4: The third year in Urology exposes residents to the advanced care of both adult and pediatric patients which builds upon the prior years’ experience and occurs over 3 rotations with 3-months of training in the private practice setting. Residents are allotted a 3-month research/elective block in their 4th year of training.
PGY-5: The Chief year is based out of CMC Main and consists of oversight and a heavy operative experience.
Application Criteria
Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Foreign medical graduates must hold a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate and be eligible to obtain a North Carolina medical license at the time of application.
Urology residency applicants must have passed both Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to be eligible for entry into our program.
The following is a list of requirements for our program:
- Common Application Form
- Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Statement
- Medical School Transcript
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Photo
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Transcripts
- ECFMG Status Report (foreign medical graduates only)