Andrology Fellowship

	Kevin T. McVary,MD Program Director
	Tobias S. Köhler,MD Program Director

Program Description

1. General

a. Andrology Fellowship addressing male reproductive and pelvic sexual health to be based at SIU-SOM, SIU Healthcare, St John’s Hospital and Memorial Medical Center.

b. The modern management of male pelvic reproductive and sexual health requires an in depth knowledge not only of surgery but of imaging, biopsy techniques, pathology, endocrinology, radiology and basic science. The fellowship is designed to enhance the basic knowledge of the management of male pelvic sexual and reproductive health acquired by a urology trainee particularly in the non-surgical disciplines.

c. Completion of the fellowship. The existence of the fellowship is to augment and support the Department of Urology at SIU-SOM, SIU-SOM, SIUHealthcare, St John’s Hospital and Memorial Medical Center to advance the field of male pelvic sexual health and infertility consistent with the goals of the above mentioned institutions, and the strategic plan of the above mentioned institutions.

d. Successful completion of a five or six year accredited program in Urology is a prerequisite.

2. Objectives

The andrology fellowship will enable the resident to acquire an advanced body of knowledge and level of skill in the management of reproductive and sexual health diseases in order to assume a leadership role in teaching and research in the field.

This will include:

a. an understanding of the classification and evaluation of erectile dysfunction;

b. knowledge of the indications, techniques, and complications of radiographic evaluation of the arterial supply of the penis;

c. an understanding of the basic techniques of testicular biopsy, evaluation and tissue processing, recognition of basic testicular pathology, and knowledge of pathologic prognostic factors;

d. the ability to counsel patients on treatment options for therapy for erectile dysfunction and reproductive health abnormalities;

e. an evaluation of erectile dysfunction and reproductive dysfunction in an office based setting; f. an understanding of the indications, complications, techniques, and results and biology of erectile dysfunction treatments;

g. an understanding, the indications, results and basic biology of localized and systemic treatment for reproductive dysfunction;

h. an understanding of the biology, evaluation and treatment of local therapies to the penis and testis;

i. fellows will be addressing outcome studies in infertility and sexual health.

3. Curriculum

1. Knowledge Base

a. An evaluation and management of erectile function and dysfunction.

b. Erectile dysfunction risk assessment.

c. Male infertility risk assessment.

d. Male infertility genetics.

e. Screening and diagnostic radiographic and ultrasound techniques. f. Natural history and pathology of erectile dysfunction and male infertility.

g. Selection of local therapy, contraindications and expected outcomes in treatment of erectile dysfunction.

h. Selection of local therapy, contraindications for treatment of testicular failure and infertility.

i. Consequences of systemic treatments on erectile function and testicular function.

j. Effect of systemic chemotherapy and endocrine therapy on reproductive health and sexual health.

k. Preoperative workup and postoperative management of surgical patients with sexual dysfunction.

l. Preoperative workup and postoperative management of post surgery of testicular biopsy imaging techniques.

m. Psychosocial and legal aspects of erectile dysfunction and reproductive health.

2. Skills

a. Doppler ultrasound of penile arteries

b. Dynamic infusion cavernosography, cavernosometry

c. Penile reconstruction using a variety of autologous and non-autologous materials.

d. Techniques for implantation of the complicated penile prosthesis and revision.

e. Ultrasound and MR imaging of testicular and vasal abnormalities.

f. Biopsy techniques of testis

g. Percutaneous and open sperm retrieval techniques

h. Management of varicocele techniques

i. Microscopic interpretation of testicular pathology

4. Organization and Faculty

a. Program Director – The program will be directed by Dr. Kevin McVary (Chairman of Urology at SIU-SOM) and Co-Director Dr. Tobias Köhler (Director of Male Sexual and Reproductive Health).

b. The program will be in the Division of Urology under the general oversight of the Chairman of the Division, Kevin McVary.

c. Faculty

1. The primary faculty for the program will be Drs. McVary and Köhler.

2. Supervision of the fellow in non-surgical disciplines will be the responsibility of the individual in that section designator as the leader in treatment efforts in imaging, pathology, and reproductive endocrinology.

5. Relationship to the Urology Residency

a. The fellow will not be responsible for the supervision of urology residents.

b. Six months of the fellowship will be spent on sexual health rotations. The balance will be spent on reproductive andrology rotations. The integrity of the urology residency will be maintained during its respective rotations by scheduling fellows and general surgery chief residents to cover different attendings. At present because of resident shortages many cases are done by attending staff due to lack of appropriate resident coverage so that participation of the fellow in selected cases will not impact on the operative experience of the urology residents.

6. Application and Selection Process

a. Written applications, including a copy of the candidates curriculum vitae and letters of recommendation will be solicited.

b. Appropriate candidates will be interviewed by Drs. McVary, Köhler, and other participating faculty.

c. Applicants will be selected by the faculty committee based on past record of achievement, recommendations, and interview process without regard to gender or race.

7. Evaluation

a. Fellows will be evaluated by participating faculty for each of the rotations in the program. In addition to an overall evaluation will be done by faculty to assess whether the fellow has met the goals for the curriculum and skills acquisition.

b. The program director and faculty committee will meet with the fellow at 3, 6 and 11 months to provide performance feedback.

c. Successful completion of the program will be contingent upon meeting curricular and skill requirements as judged by the evaluation. In addition, the trainee must complete at least one scholarly project suitable for publication, make one national presentation, and show evidence of teaching medical students and residents.

8. Administrative Structure

a. The fellowship will be part of the SIU-SOM Education Program. All policies of the SIU-SOM GME Program will apply to the fellowship, fellows and faculty.

b. Fellows will be recommended for appointment to the faculty of SIU-SOM at the level of Clinical Instructor in Urology. Any faculty appointment will be co-terminus with the duration of the fellowship.

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