Urology

Recommend Urology AI at UNC PRIOR to any away urology Ais.

Recommended Courses:

AI/Acting Internship

A Urology AI at UNC is necessary. Students typically do on average two away AIs in Urology as well. Prior to the Urology AI at UNC, a surgery AI with hands-on operative experience is highly recommended and beneficial.

Otherwise, look for AI courses that will help set you up for residency, i.e. SICU, general surgery.

CC/Critical Care
I would recommend rotating in the SICU. Second option would be the MICU

ACS/Advanced Clinical Selective
Again, the goal is to set you up for residency. With that said, you can consider taking a radiology ACS (Body Imaging vs general radiology), cardiology exposure, etc. If you do not feel clinically ready for a urology AI (i.e. took time between app phase & indy phase), consider doing the Basic Clinical Urology ACS first

Electives
I would focus more on your interests. I don’t have any real recommendations here. We offer a research in urology elective. If interested in urology, I would not use this in place of a urology AI

Most applicants do away rotations in Urology. These rotations are highly beneficial for you to show interest outside of UNC and North Carolina.  Letters of recommendations from institutional faculty are typically obtained during these rotations.

In our experience, most still do their formal AI here.

As soon as the student thinks they may have an interest in Urology.  No preparation needed.

3-4.  You should get 1-3 letters from your home program.  These would usually include the chair, residency director and a faculty member that knows you best.  You can also ask for letters on your away rotation, again from similar people.

I would ask during your rotation.  If you are not rotating with them, I would start to ask ~July.  It is helpful to have your CV. We have found it very helpful when students also provide some things that they would like to highlight about their CV/experience.

This will vary for everyone.  We like students to pick their priorities, i.e. geography, 5 or 6 year, big city, etc.  From there, we would recommend tiering the programs based on rankings.  We are always happy (and would prefer) to look over your program list prior to submitting applications.

This depends on what it is.  AOA, definitely.

Send a gentle reminder E-mail to the writer.  For urology, all applications are released to the programs on a specific date (at least in 2021/2022).

Ask if someone from your home program would be willing to write a letter/e-mail to the program.  Urology is a small community and normally, we may know someone from that program.

You do not have to but it is nice to receive.

They now have a signaling program for your top 5 programs (new as of 2022 match).

This is not allowed.

• USMLE STEP 2 CK >240 (used more as a red flag than help)
• Research – demonstrated commitment to research, which applicants historically averaging 4 publications
• Letters of recommendations with at least 1 from away rotation
• 2 Away AI rotations at locations selected with consideration to the applicant’s geographic interest (e.g. South, West Coast, Northeast, Midwest, etc), academic reputation, and/or clinical practice setting (urban/suburban)
• Honors in surgery with honors / high pass in most clinical rotations.