Mary Beth Westerman, MD, FACS

About

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Westerman is a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist and Associate Professor of Urology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment of all types of urologic cancers, including bladder, kidney, prostate, testicular, and penile cancers, as well as rare malignancies such as retroperitoneal sarcomas. Her clinical expertise spans both open and minimally invasive surgical approaches, with extensive experience in robotic surgery, including retzius-sparing prostatectomy, intracorporeal urinary diversion, and single-port techniques.

A prolific researcher and educator, Dr. Westerman has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and serves as a peer reviewer for five major urologic journals. Her research focuses on improving oncologic outcomes by evaluating systematic processes and workflow and identifying barriers to care, enhancing surgical outcomes for women undergoing radical cystectomy, and driving innovation in quality improvement and process optimization within surgical care. She has been a co-investigator on several prominent clinical trials, including a PCORI grant for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and the ARCHER cooperative trial for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, where she serves as Patient Reported Outcomes Co-Chair.

Dr. Westerman’s dedication to education and surgical training was evident in her previous role as Residency Program Director for LSU Urology. She is deeply committed to mentoring future urologists and advancing surgical education through evidence-based practice.

Her leadership extends nationally through her service on the American Urological Association’s (AUA) Practice Guidelines Committee, a key subcommittee of the AUA’s Science & Quality Council, and her roles with the Society of Urologic Oncology, where she serves on both the Young Urologic Oncologists Steering Committee and the SUO Clinical Trials Consortium Board of Directors.

Dr. Westerman earned her BA in Chemistry from Dartmouth College, where she was an Academic All-American in lacrosse. She completed her MD at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by residency training in urology at the Mayo Clinic and fellowship training in urologic oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is originally from New York and brings a patient-centered, research-driven approach to her clinical care, always advocating for personalized treatment plans and the integration of clinical trials where appropriate.

Specialties

Urologic Oncology
Urology and Urologic Surgery

Board Certifications

Urology – Board Certified

Publications

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Academic Interests

Bladder cancer, clinical trials, minimizing length of stay and enhancing early recovery, quality improvement and process optimization in oncologic care and treatment decision making

Education

Fellowship: Urologic Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center – Houston, TX
Residency: Urology, Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN
Medical Degree (MD): The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – Dallas, TX

Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Westerman

UNC Urology Medical Center Office
UNC Urology NC Cancer Hospital Office

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