Pre-Requisites and Requirements for Application:

• Certificate that the applicant has completed at least two years of General Surgery residency, properly accredited by the Philippine Board of Surgery.
• Philippine Regulatory Commision Medical Board Rating
• Photocopy of applicant's Medical License
• Photocopy of Medical School Diploma
• Certified True Copy of Transcript of Records of the applicant's medical school
• At least two Letters of Recommendation, preferably from a Urologist and/or a former supervisor, and/or an MD in the area of future practice.
• Properly accomplished Application Form with two 2x2" pictures
• Letter of Intent addressed to:
  Dante P. Dator, MD
  Chairman
  Department of Urology
  National Kidney & Transplant Institute

Basis for Evaluation of Applicants

• Written Examination covering both Urology (50%) and General Surgery (50%) will be given to all applicants.
• Personal Interview with a panel consisting of at least three Attending Consultants. The schedule for Interview is not negotiable. Failure to show up at the Interview implies disinterest in the program, thus such applicants will be dropped from the deliberation list.
• Letters of Recommendation
• Other factors (location of future Urologic practice, tie-up with a Provincial Hospital, etc.)

Description of the Urology Residency Training Program

The program consists of four years of Urology residency. Exposure to ALL aspects of Urology is paramount with emphasis on completely “hands-on” major, minor and endourologic surgery; decision-making responsibilities, conferences and didactic lectures with the cons.

The program is the ONLY training program in the country where residents have EXTENSIVE hands-on exposure and DIRECT management and decision-making in Transplant Urology, Minimally-Invasive Prostate Cancer Surgery, Urologic Ultrasound, Extra-Corporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy, Percutaneous Renal Stone Surgery, Laparoscopic Urology, and Urodynamic Studies.

The Training Program is accredited by the Philippine Board of Urology.

Our residents have supervised decision-making responsibilities towards our Service Patients as well as exposure to the individual therapeutic styles of their consultants towards the latter’s Private patients.

Depending on the available slots, two to three first year residents are selected. The residency training program is designed with a step-ladder approach, such that for each year level, duties and responsibilities as well as the complexity and difficulty of surgical procedures are 3increased gradually.

First Year:

During the first year, the main training objective is the diagnosis and management with pre- and post-operative care of Urological patients. This year is divided into a Ward rotation, an Diagnostics rotation, and an OR rotation (if there are 3 first year residents). The Ward Rotator is in charge of all ward referrals. These include admissions, referrals from other departments, emergency referrals, referrals for adverse events on patients in the ward or ER, facilitation of laboratory work-ups and results, etc. The Diagnostics Rotator is in charge of all radiographic and other imaging studies done on all patients. These include the procurement of plates, performance of special radiographic procedures (voiding cystourethrograms, retrograde urethrograms, cystograms, transrectal ultrasonograms, etc), and urodynamic studies. He is also in-charge of patient undergoing ESWL. The rotations are divided equally among the first years and are rotated throughout the year.

Second Year:

The main training objective for the second year is to master basic surgical skills and technique, to assist in open surgical procedures, and to learn basic endourological procedures. A second year must scrub in all open procedures done by the Department and is in charge of the compliance of all pre- and post-operative records, such as the Pre-Op Notes, Post-Op Notes, Histopathologic Form, Operative Technique, Post-Op Orders, Logbook of Operations, etc. He is also allowed to do minor to mediuim level open procedures. The Second Year is also responsible for presenting at hospital-wide conferences like the CPC (Clinico-Pathological Conference) and the Hospital Tumor Board.

Third Year:

The Third Year's main training objective is to master routine major open Urological procedures and to assist in more advanced cases. All open surgeries, except for cancer, plastic/reconstructive, transplant and pediatric procedures are the main responsibility of the Third Year. They also assist and supervise the junior residents in all endoscopic, minor or open procedures that they do. They are also the main assistants for consultant's open procedures. The Third Year is also responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the In- and Out-patient areas.

Fourth Year:

The fourth year's training objective is to master all advanced Urological procedures, including radical cancer surgery, transurethral resection, plastic/reconstructive, laparoscopic, minimally-invasive prostate surgery and pediatric cases. One Fourth Year is chosen as the Chief Resident and his role is supervisory to all the more junior residents. The Chief Resident has prerogative in the assignment and scheduling of all urologic cases, disciplinary actions, interdepartment affairs, etc.

Outside Rotations:

Although the training exposure our residents attain at the NKTI is quite extensive, we are not content to rest on our laurels. We have identified several aspects of Urology where it would be more advantageous for our residents to gain experience in other institutions.

During the 3 rd year, our residents rotate in the Section of Urology at the UP-PGH Medical Center. Their main training objective there is to learn and have hands-on experience in Urologic Trauma and Out-Patient Open Procedures. The UP-PGH is one of the, if not THE finest trauma center in the country, and this translates to an extensive exposure to Urologic Trauma for our residents.