Conferences

A half-day each week is set aside for urologic didactic conference. Attendance at the following meetings is mandatory and absence requires approval from the urology Program Director or Residency Program Coordinator. Each conference day varies but will consist of the following conferences:

Morning Report

Discussion of interesting cases from the prior week or near complications that will not be discussed in M&M conference are explored.

Technique Lectures

A weekly session in which residents discuss in length, a specific surgical procedure.  This includes a detailed discussion of indications, complications, outcomes and the steps of the operation.  Each aspect should be thoroughly researched and current literature cited during the presentation. 

Pharmacology Discussion

Each class of urologic pharmacologyl will be reviewed.  The current urologic uses, side effects, cost, etc. will be discussed in detail with an emphasis on applicability to, and optimization of, current practice.

Case Report

A review of interesting or unusual cases, highlighting diagnostic and treatment options/algorithms, pathophysiology and review of the literature surrounding the case.

AUA Guidelines/Best Practice Statements
The assigned resident uses new self-made questions to highlight the features of the AUA guidelines being reviewed.  Questions are meant to clarify the details and act as reinforcement of the guidelines.

Mortality-Morbidity

The Mortality and Morbidity Conference is critical for surgeons in training. The format is an in-depth analysis of significant morbidity or mortality with a literature review of specific complications. The resident who worked on a particular case will present the facts of the case and prepare an evidence-based discussion on the cause and prevention of the morbidity or mortality. The resident or faculty may be assigned a topic specific to morbidity and mortality. The resident or faculty is expected to provide copies of relevant journal articles for distribution to those participating in the conference. The full-time faculty or volunteer clinical faculty member involved in the case is expected to be present.  A competency-based summary form must be completed and filed with the residency coordinator. Emphasis is placed on objective publications related to the case and systems-based problems and how they are corrected using the systems in place at the specific sites of service.

Presentations involving community faculty will be made during normal Wednesday morning conference time for routine complications with limited educational value.

M&M presentations for both academic and community faculty which are more complex, unusual or have greater educational value, will be presented to the combined group of attendings after the hospital Urology department meetings occurring on Monday afternoons/evenings on a quarterly basis.

Multidisciplinary Conference

A monthly conference attended by the urology division and representatives from pathology, radiology, medical oncology and radiation oncology is used as a forum to discuss complex urologic cancer cases and come up with consensus decisions on further diagnostic workup or treatment regimens.

Imaging

Interesting and educational cases that have relevant radiographic imaging will be presented to the division for comment and learning. The resident who worked on a particular case will present the facts of the case and is responsible for presenting an evidence-based discussion of the relevant issues. This conference prepares the residents for the uroimaging portion of the American Board of Urology exam.

Uropathology

This conference is held in conjunction with the Department of Pathology at both Memorial Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital. The pathologists conduct conferences.  The case selection is prepared jointly by Urology and the pathologists. This conference prepares residents for the uropathology portion of the American Board of Urology exam. Pathology is presented as an unknown with residents identifying the pathology. This is combined with a specific didactic session on different areas of urologic pathology.

Surgical Skills Lab

 Fourteen skills lab modules have been developed with the purpose of improving the residents' technical skills in areas such as Cysto/Ureteroscopy, Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy, Laparoscopic Porcine Lab, Open & Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy, Urethral Injury Repair, Transurethral Resection of the Prostate, Laparoscopic Skill & DaVinci Robot Training, Introduction and Advanced Transurethral Endoscopy, Urethral Reimplant & Deflux Lab, Principles of ultrasound and advanced fluoroscopy and operating room imaging. Anatomy and cadaver labs provide additional training in fundamental aspects of urology.  Both resident and faculty evaluations will be completed after the labs. J. Roland Folse, MD. Surgical Skills Center

Microsurgical Skills Lab 

This is a 4 hour surgical skills lab that utilizes animal models for demonstration, instruction and practice of microsurgical techniques.  Individual, one-on-one training sessions with the senior level residents are required before they are allowed to participate in advanced microsurgical surgery.  This lab can also be accessed for practice and improvement of personal microsurgical skills.

Innovative Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Techniques

As part of our surgical skills curriculum, residents will be exposed to and have extensive work in all new and innovative forms of BPH treatment. This includes simulations available to the residents 24/7 within the MCLI surgical skills center, hands on experience on cadaver and animal models and presentations from leaders in non-urologic options for this condition (specifically IR prostatic artery embolization). This allows the residents to be knowledgable and experienced with all options for treating this common and debilitating condition to make the best recommendation for their future patients.

Research 

Every other month, the research endeavors of the urology division are discussed openly and critically. Presentations and talks to be given at local, regional, national and international conferences will be practiced during this time. Activities in the Urology Research Lab will also be disseminated. Papers for submission are reviewed and research assignments are reviewed and updated.

Pre-Operative 

It is imperative that urologists in training understand the indications, complications and alternatives to all urologic procedures. This conference enables the resident to discuss pre-operative evaluations and surgical alternatives to urologic diseases. Residents are expected to propose treatments and be prepared to defend them against alternative therapies.

Journal Club

Journal Club meetings are held monthly. A faculty member assigns topics and articles for review. Each resident is assigned to critically review an article in the current or classical urologic literature. Open discussion following each presentation is encouraged to provide insight into the merit of the particular article and how it will change clinical practice. Survey articles from the Journal of Urology are reviewed every other month.

Additional Educational Curriculum Sessions
(Annual or Semi-annual Frequency)

Sleep Deprivation 

Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue education is a required online module that every incoming resident must take before beginning work as a PGY-I Resident.  Sleep deprivation and fatigue are routinely monitored by faculty, chief residents and senior residents.  All fatigue issues are addressed as they arise and fatigued residents are sent home for rest.

Sexual Harassment   

During PGY-I orientation, SIU Human Resources presents a Sexual Harassment lecture. This is supplemented by online modules required throughout the residency by the residents’ respective employing hospitals.

Residents as Teachers  

The introductory course is presented by Residency Affairs as an online module residents must complete before beginning work in their PGY-I year.  More detailed and thorough sessions are given by the Department of Surgery in the PGY-II and PGY-IV years.  Topics during these sessions include: The Art of Giving a Presentation, Departmental Expectations of Students on Surgery Clerkships, Strategies for Clinical Teaching, Teaching at the Bedside, Giving Effective Feedback, Physician Communication, Setting Expectations & Enhancing Team Effectiveness, Leadership Skills for Senior Residents and Leadership Challenges for Chief Residents.

Medical Ethics 

An annual scheduled panel discussion with an SIU faculty member regarding ethical issues for residents and physicians in practice is required of all residents annually.

Wellness and Woe 

Stress management and impairment management for physicians in training is required of all PGY-I residents and is presented by Residency Affairs.

Universal Issues

This is a lecture series presented by Residency Affairs that covers a broad range of issues including: contracting, patient and professional boundaries, patient safety, medical errors, medical legal issues, financial planning and debt management and health care systems among others.  Many of these topics are mandatory for residents.

Department of Surgery Ethics Curriculum 

Ethical lectures sponsored by the Department of Surgery which are given 2 to 3 times annually and cover a wide range of ethical issues including: patient confidentiality, truth telling and communication, avoidance of medical malpractice, professional obligations, end of life issues, resource allocation, and informed consent. It is specifically oriented to surgical treatment.

Visiting Professors

A nationally recognized leader in urology is invited to the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine at least once each year. Visiting professors are selected on the basis of their regional and national reputation as well as their teaching ability. They are also selected on the basis of their background in urologic research and areas of special interest. Usually these guests are residency directors or chairmen of other academic urology programs. They spend at least two days at our institution and participate in regularly scheduled conferences and individual discussion sessions. This is intended to allow a free interchange of ideas and case discussions by the resident staff. In addition, conference time is set aside so that the resident staff in urology may have an opportunity to present cases and discuss various topics in urology. The visiting professor also makes a formal presentation at the Surgical Grand Rounds with the entire surgical staff in attendance. In addition to the formal presentations, during each guest professor's visit an evening program is provided to enhance the academic experience. Occasionally, they will be allowed to operate with the residents.