Frequently Asked Questions - SET Selection

1. Urologists - who are they?

1. Urologists - who are they?

Urologists are surgeons who treat men, women and children with problems involving the kidney, bladder, prostate and male reproductive organs.   These conditions include cancer, stones, infection, incontinence, sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor problems.  Urology is a challenging, innovative and technologically advanced surgical subspecialty.

• Urologists have a big impact on the health and quality of life of their patients
• Urology is at the forefront of the use of minimally invasive treatment modalities
• In the last 12 months, more robotic procedures were performed in urology than any other surgical discipline
• Urology is a rewarding surgical sub-specialty of supportive, collegiate professionals
• Urology attracts high quality applicants and the selection process is always highly competitive.

2. How do I train to be a urologist?

Urology training is part of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeon's Surgical Education and Training (SET) program. This program started in 2008. It involves a re-think and re-structure of surgical training, as it moves away from the old apprenticeship model where surgery was taught as a craft, to an adult learning model where learning is self-directed, experiential, and reflective.
 
The introduction of SET is designed to improve the quality and efficiency of surgical education and training. It enables early selection into specialty training, and streamlines the training experience.

The SET programme in Urology aims to select, train and educate people with the ability to acquire the necessary surgical skills and competencies to become excellent urologists. The Board looks for potential, recognizing that past behaviour predicts future performance. The Board promotes ethical values and principles, and supports and encourages continued learning throughout a professional career.
 
3. When am I eligible to apply for urology training?

A doctor is eligible to apply to SET urology in the year they will complete all the eligibility requirements. If you can show you are going to complete the requirements in December, you can apply in the March. The earliest this can be is PGY 2, which sees you start SET in PGY 3. Some may not have chosen their career path so early, or may change their mind. Apply when you are ready, as all applicants are considered equally. You should be aware that if you fail to complete the promised requirements by the end of the year, your offer of selection can be withdrawn.
 
If you want to apply for urology, you must register on the RACS website by the College date.  Registration for all surgical specialties is through the RACS website www.surgeons.org.

4. What are the eligibility requirements for selection into SET Urology in 2010?

Details regarding the generic eligibility requirements and the registration process are available from the College website www.surgeons.org.

Details regarding the urology specific eligibility requirements are available by clicking here

5. What other terms are useful?

When potential applicants are choosing their terms for PGY 1 + 2, they should consider the following recommended terms; 

• Additional terms of surgery, particularly general surgery
• A term of urology
• A term of anaesthetics and ICU
• A term of medicine, particularly nephrology, general medicine, neurology, or geriatric medicine

A balance of the above terms broadens your knowledge and experience, and prepares you better for a career in Urology. You won't be helped by more than 1 term of urology or anaesthetics. An extra term of medicine or Emergency Department, or multiple terms in surgical specialties are helpful. 
 
6. What about a term in research, or as an anatomy tutor?

Everything is a trade-off. Doing a research term is certainly useful in developing insight into research methodology, statistics, and literature appraisal. It will also improve your CV, and your ‘scoring ability' in that aspect of your application. Conversely, it will prevent you from gaining clinical experience, which may impede your application and eligibility.

Likewise, a term as an anatomy tutor may help you study for the BSE exam, and enhance your CV, but will also prevent you from gaining clinical experience.

You need to choose for yourself, and there is no right or wrong choice.

7. What else will make me the best candidate for urology?

Surgery is a career of life long learning. An applicant to urology will recognize this, and commence the journey. They will want to both improve their own competence, and enhance their chance of selection. Achievements and contributions outside medicine can tell as much about a person as those within. During selection, all applicants are asked to provide evidence of their efforts and achievements to date, and those within and outside medicine contribute to this assessment. Particular attention is paid to those achievements and experiences aligned to the nine RACS Competencies.

• Technical Expertise
• Medical Expertise
• Judgment - Clinical Decision Making
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Management and Leadership
• Health Advocacy
• Scholar and Teacher
• Professionalism and Ethics

More detail of what each of these mean is contained on the College website www.surgeons.org. 

A good urologist will display all of these qualities. We know that past behaviour predicts future performance, so we predict an individual who has worked hard to date will continue to strive in the future.

You should look at the above list of competencies, and seek out opportunities to improve your own skills in as many of these as you can.  Some of these opportunities are:

• Research - look for opportunities to help with research. This can be as simple as a case study with literature review., or as complex as a PhD
• Self Improvement - attend seminars, meetings, conferences, skills labs or workshops that have relevance to your training
• Teaching - be prepared to provide education to others in your professional environment (e.g nurses or students)
• Self assessment - ask if you can be active in the quality assurance (audit) activities of each unit you work in
• Presenting - cases, reviews or papers at a local, regional, or broader forum
• Community Involvement - significant works and deeds to the benefit of the community are recognized in an application
• Qualifications - gain additional qualifications through a course or workshop in relevant areas if the opportunity arises. Possibilities include Management, Statistics, Leadership, Cultural Awareness, Teamwork, Communication, Education, Ethics, Epidemiology
• Personal Development - A range of personal development courses are run by the AMA, the various Medical Defence Organisations, RACS, Universities, and private institutions. They all teach life skills transferable to the role as a surgeon. They also enhance your application by "scoring" selection points. Show initiative, and attend some to develop your personal competence.

8. What documentation should I keep?

Anyone thinking of applying to urology should start by keeping a personal portfolio. This should include every piece of information or evidence that demonstrates what you have done in both your professional and personal life relevant to the above qualities.

Examples of relevant documentation include:

• All professional qualifications
• All courses attended
• All conferences, meetings, workshops, skills labs or seminars attended
• A logbook of clinical activity
• Copies of all posters, presentations, abstracts, publications
• Evidence of involvement in Audit
• Evidence of all teaching activities
• Copies of in-training assessments
• Evidence of notable achievements, and voluntary or charitable works
• Testimonials, letters of commendation or thanks, and references
• Elections to positions of responsibility 

9. How long is the training programme?

Surgical training through the RACS is competency based, not time based. An applicant with significant prior surgical and urological experience may find their training time significantly shortened. Some trainees may find they require longer than the typical training time to achieve competency.

SET urology is designed to accommodate the typical trainee, who is expected to take six years. The first year is SET 1, a year of introductory surgical training. SET 2 will be a year spent in surgery in general to learn more advanced surgical skills. SET 3 - 6 will be the years spent in urology specialist surgical training. All trainees are required to reach a similar level of ability when they graduate.

10. What preparation is needed for SET 1 Urology?

Every urology trainee must complete the following by the end of SET 2;

• Surgical Sciences Examination (Generic)
• Surgical Sciences Examinatiion (Specialty Specific)
• Clincal Examination

By the end of SET1, all traineees are expected to have completed:

• The ASSET course
• The CCrISP course

You may want to think about starting study for the exams before you commence SET. You may also think it worthwhile getting the ASSET or CCrISP out of the way to give you more time to focus on your study for the exams. You can complete the ASSET and CCrISP before selection to SET if positions are available, but College trainees will always be given preference.

11. Who can I contact?

Education and Training Manager
Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand
Suite 512, Eastpoint
180 Ocean Street
EDGECLIFF  NSW  2027
Tel:  (02) 9362 8644
Fax: (02) 9362 1433
Email: education@usanz.org.au