University of Kansas (KU) Urology Residency Program Accomplishments 2000-2024
- Above national average on resident and faculty ACGME surveys
- We are excited and humbled to have scored excellently on our surveys reflecting a culture of support, learning, and mentorship.
- Successful expansion and match of a rural track resident increasing our resident complement to 5 per year
- Residents have scored above the national average on their annual In-service exam since 2015
- Recent Curricula added
- Wellness curriculum
- Discussion topics happiness, career planning, financial planning, and psychological health
- Quarterly group counseling sessions
- Access and time for residents to obtain counseling services
- Spotify account
- Dedicated Resident Wellness Officer, Dr. Lauren Kennedy
- Delivering bad news to patients
- Semi-annual Mock oral boards
- Leadership curriculum
- Semi-annual speaker and dinner with residents
- Emotional Intelligence assessment and guidance
- Wellness curriculum
- Urology dedicated simulation lab under construction
- Resident leadership
- Resident council with several urology residents in leadership roles
- Gold humanism awards
- Residents on national urology leadership committees
- Implementation of a visiting Sub-Internship Scholarship for rotating 4th year medical student to help offset the costs of traveling
- Successful incorporation of Indian Creek Campus as a dedicated experience for PGY3 and PGY4 residents to allow for intense exposure to prostate cancer, robotic prostatectomy, as well as 1:1 clinic experience with faculty members.
- Transition to Truman Medical Center as chief rotation for further leadership and autonomy
- Transition to Children Mercy as PGY4 rotation for earlier senior level exposure to pediatrics and facilitating fellowship interests in pediatric urology
- Increase in clinical research grant funding with addition of Dr. Souders to faculty
- Residents presented abstracts at South Central Section, Society of Urologic Oncology, Society of Urodynamics and Female Urology, World Congress of Endourology, American Urologic Association Annual Meeting, World Professional Association for Transgender Health and others
- Research Award
- The most productive resident for research publications gets a $2500 award
- Increased resident research projects, presentations, and publications
- Teaching Awards
- Recognize the faculty member in the department who is the best teacher of the year
- Resident Awards
- Humanism Award
- In Service Performance Awards for Junior and Senior resident
- Resident Peer Award
- Ambulatory Care Award
- OR Choice Awards
- Didactics
- Protected and dedicated didactics so majority of residents can be present in person
- Remote broadcast set up for those residents who cannot attend in person
- Quarterly in-service exam review
- Truman Medical Center improvements
- Complimentary resident rotation assignments and coverage
- Robotic surgery added
- Diversifying and adding faculty members at site to improve resident experience
- Intern present on service through-out the year
- Updated Robotic/MIS curriculum
- Dedicated and accessible location (24/7) next to residents’ office
- Parental Leave Policy
- Updated GME policy for parental leave allowing for paid parental leave
- Outside conference policy including SWIU support
- New policy via PEC process examined the utility and strength of outside course offered.
- Policy now offers program support to designated courses
- All women in program encouraged and supported to go to annual SWIU meeting to help current women residents and also to improve recruitment of women candidates
- Mission trip
- Annual mission trip led by Dr. Neff
- PGY 5 resident with best in-service exam score is supported by program to participate
- Excellent feedback from last three years
- Leadership
- Jeffrey Holzbeierlein as Physician in Chief of the Cancer Center
- Moben Mirza as Chair of Department of Urology
- Casey Kowalik became Program Director after 4 years serving as Associate PD
- Danica May as Associate Program Director
- Ajay Nangia as Vice Chair and Program Evaluation Committee Chair
- David Duchene as the Clinical Competency Committee Chair
- Jake Fantus is the Medical Student Clerkship Director
- Improved funding from The University of Kansas Health System
- The health system has increased resident annual stipends
- Successful Resident Retreats
- Dedicated and protected days
- Revamped with team building activities
- Various technical simulation, cadaver lab, as well as pig lab moved to a separate dedicated day
- Policy and wellness review
- Ziel Simulation Center partnership
- OR team building program partially led by and piloted by urology program
- Team training for faculty, residents, anesthesiologist, nurses, surgical tech, and other staff to improve communication, manage critical events, improve patient safety, enabling personnel to be able to express and address concerns.
- Annual access to SASP software/exam
- Successful match cycles (into residency and fellowships), ABU board exam success
- Physician extenders
- 7 APPs in outpatient clinic
- 2 APP dedicated to inpatient services to help with discharges, patient teaching, and consults