![\"UNC](\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/urology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/637\/2020\/12\/Urology-2020-Year-in-Review-300x168.jpg\")
The Department of Urology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill delivers excellence in patient care, education, and research. At UNC Urology, we provide patients with a continuum of care and support throughout their recovery process. We strive to find better techniques and treatment options, provide education for patients and their families, and continue to advocate for their needs long after they leave our program.<\/p>\n
In addition to their work in Chapel Hill, our faculty are leaders nationally and internationally, advancing the field and mentoring the next generation of leaders in Urology. The Department is moving into the new decade with energy and enthusiasm under the leadership of Professor and Chair Matthew Nielsen, MD, MS, FACS<\/a>.<\/p>\n Please join us in celebrating the many recent accomplishments of the Department:<\/p>\n We are proud to have the excellence and leadership of our faculty at UNC Urology, across the mission areas, recognized by patients, peers, and national organizations.<\/p>\n Smith Wins SUO\u2019s 2020 Young Investigator Award and Elected to Nominating Committee<\/a> 5 Urology Providers Earn 2020 Carolina Care Excellence Award<\/a> 5 UNC Urology Faculty Physicians Join Growing List of Department\u2019s \u2018Castle Connolly Top Doctors\u2019<\/a> 2020 Hettleman Prize Awarded to Dr. Angela Smith<\/a> Dr. Brad Figler Receives 2019-2020 Faculty LGBTIQA+ Advocacy Award<\/a> Heather Schultz, NP Inaugural Recipient of the AUA\u2019s \u201cAPP of the Year Award\u201d<\/a> Smith Named One of the AUA\u2019s Young Urologists of the Year (2020)<\/a> Eight UNC Urology Faculty Included in Latest Edition of Best Doctors in America\u00ae<\/a> Alongside their efforts in Chapel Hill, UNC Urology faculty members provide substantive leadership in service to multiple national organizations in urology.<\/p>\n Smith Wins SUO\u2019s 2020 Young Investigator Award and Elected to Nominating Committee<\/a> Angela Smith, MD, MS Elected to Board of the Society of Women in Urology<\/a> Matthew Coward, MD, FACS Elected to Board of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction<\/a> Matthew Coward, MD, FACS Elected to Board for the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology<\/a> Eric Wallen, MD, FACS Elected Chair of ACGME Review Committee for Urology<\/a> Dr. Tan Appointed to the AUA\u2019s Data Committee<\/a> Nielsen Appointed to CMS Technical Expert Panel<\/a> The UNC Urology residency, ranked #15 in the country in the US News \/ Doximity Residency Rankings, attracts candidates from top medical schools around the country, who go on to be leaders in urology across the spectrum of practice settings.<\/p>\n Celebrating the Resident Class of 2020<\/a> Urology Resident Mark Ehlers, MD Inducted into UNC Chapter of AOA<\/a> Chief Resident Dr. Benjamin McCormick Reflects on Recent AUA-supported Trip to Malawi<\/a> William French, MD Speaks on Working Through COVID-19<\/a> UNC Residents Pauline Filippou, MD (Urology) and Emily Newton, MD (General Surgery) Play On \u201cWheel of Fortune\u201d<\/a> Match Day 2020 \u2013 UNC Urology Residency Class of \u201925<\/a> UNC Urology is committed to providing our patients with a personalized and caring experience that supports health, delivers value, and is free from harm.<\/p>\nUNC Health Hospitals Earn Top \u201cA\u201d Safety Scores from Leapfrog Group<\/a> ACS NSQIP Recognizes UNC Hospitals for Achieving Meritorious Outcomes for Surgical Patient Care<\/a> New 2020 AUA Hematuria Guidelines<\/a> E-Cigarettes, Smoking, and Bladder Cancer<\/a> Why Quitting is So Important and Resources for Quitting<\/a> UNC Urology attracts talented faculty from around the country, and we are proud of our faculty\u2019s development into leaders in the field.<\/p>\n Dr. Kristy Borawski Selected for UNC\u2019s Academic Career Leadership Academy in Medicine (ACCLAIM)<\/a> Dr. Brad Figler Promoted to Clinical Associate Professor<\/a> Dr. Coward Selected to 2020-2021 AUA Leadership Program<\/a> Dr. Tan Selected to Participated in the National Cancer Institute\u2019s TIDIRC Program<\/a> Our faculty are leading a variety of practice-changing research efforts to define the standards of care in the field.<\/p>\n TEDx-style \u2018Hettleman Talks\u2019 Featuring Dr. Angela Smith and other 2020 Award Winners \u2013 10\/19\/2020<\/a>\nAwards and Recognition<\/a>\nNational Leadership<\/a>\nEducation<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\nPatient Care<\/a>\nProfessional Development<\/a>\nResearch<\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\nAwards and Recognition<\/a>National Leadership<\/a>Education<\/a>Patient Care<\/a>Professional Development<\/a>Research<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAwards<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nDr. Angela Smith honored with SUO’s 2020 Young Investigator Award. The Young Investigator Award recognizes clinical practice and\/or basic research that has or will contribute to the improvement of clinical care and progress in science.<\/p>\n
\nCongrats to Borawski, Dunn, Schultz, Smith, and Wallen on winning the 2020 Carolina Care Excellence Award top marks.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to Drs. Borawski, Bukowski, Coward, Figler, Nielsen, Ross, Smith, Sutherland, Viprakasit, and Wallen received the 2020 ‘Top Doctor’ designation from Castle Connolly. Drs. Borawski, Ross, and Smith also were included on Castle Connolly\u2019s 2020 list of ‘Exceptional Women In Medicine.’<\/p>\n
\nAngela Smith, MD, MS has been awarded one of the 2020 Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement for her groundbreaking and innovative research at UNC.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Brad Figler received the 2019-2020 faculty LGBTIQA+ Advocacy Award for his work creating the UNC Transgender Health Program as a way to support coordination and quality of care for transgender patients.<\/p>\n
\nThe AUA Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Membership Committee named Heather Schultz, NP as the inaugural recipient of the APP of the Year Award in March of 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAngela Smith, MD, MS has been named one of the AUA’s Young Urologist of the Year Award Winners for 2020. Alongside eight others, Dr. Smith is recognized for her mentorship as Director of Urologic Oncology as well as a board member of the Society of Women in Urology. Dr. Smith also serves as an Assistant Secretary for the AUA.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to our eight faculty physicians who were recently recognized on the 2019-20 Best Doctors List. This year, UNC Hospitals had more Best Doctors specializing in Urology than any other physician group in North Carolina.<\/p>\nNational Leadership<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nDr. Angela Smith honored with SUO’s 2020 Young Investigator Award. The Young Investigator Award recognizes clinical practice and\/or basic research that has or will contribute to the improvement of clinical care and progress in science.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to Dr. Angela Smith on their recent elections to the Board of Directors for the Society of Women in Urology (SWIU). Dr. Smith will serve a 2-year term on the Board and is currently holding the position as the Member-At-Large.<\/p>\n
\nThe Department of Urology would like to extend its congratulations to Dr. Matthew Coward on his recent election to the Board of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR). Dr. Coward will serve a 2-year term on the Board and is currently holding the position as the Member-At-Large.<\/p>\n
\nThe Department of Urology would like to extend its congratulations to Dr. Matthew Coward on his recent elections to the Board of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU). Dr. Coward will serve a 3-year term on the Board and is currently holding the position as the Member-At-Large.<\/p>\n
\nThe Department of Urology would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Eric Wallen\u00a0on his recent election to Chair of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Review Committee for Urology effective July 1st, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to\u00a0Hung-Jui “Ray” Tan, MD, MSHPM\u00a0on his recent appointment to the\u00a0American Urological Association’s (AUA)\u00a0Data Committee, an instrumental group in advancing the AUA\u2019s data agenda, collection strategy, and abilities at identifying and prioritizing data and research topics, initiatives and projects.<\/p>\n
\nMatthew Nielsen, Interim Chair of Urology, has been appointed to support efforts to update the CMS Quality Measure Development Plan and Quality Measure Index.<\/p>\nEducation<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nMembers of the department celebrated the graduates of 2020 and Resident of the Year Dr. Solomon Hayon and Attending of the Year Dr. Richard Sutherland.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to UNC Urology Resident\u00a0Mark Ehlers, MD on his recent induction into the UNC Chapter of\u00a0Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) for commitment and excellence in the teaching of medical students.<\/p>\n
\n“In reflection, my experience will have a profound impact on my career and my practice. I have already started to think about a time when I can return to a resource-limited setting to have a more meaningful and long-term impact on the patients and trainees there.”<\/p>\n
\n“As I reflect on this Doctor\u2019s Appreciation Day, what I’m seeing around the world is concerning, but I’m also seeing so much courage. Courage from people who are not willing to give up on other people.”<\/p>\n
\nTwo UNC medical residents Pauline Filippou, MD (Urology) and Emily Newton, MD (General Surgery) appeared on the TV game show “Wheel of Fortune” on February 20th, 2020. The two physicians first met during their first years of residency at UNC and appeared on the Wheel of Fortune’s \u201cGirlfriend Getaways\u201d competition.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations Obafunbi Abimbola (UNC – Charlotte), Michael Emmerling (Boston University), and Kevin Neuzil (Vanderbilt University) – our UNC Urology Residency Class of ’25. We look forward to greeting you all in Chapel Hill later this year.<\/p>\nPatient Care<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nThe Leapfrog Group awarded multiple UNC Health hospitals with top \u201cA\u201d grades on its Fall 2020 Patient Safety Report Card.\u00a0 UNC Medical Center received its seventh consecutive \u201cA\u201d in Fall 2020, the most recent publication<\/p>\n
\nThe American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP\u00ae) has UNC Hospitals among the recognized 89 of an eligible 607 hospitals for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2019.\u00a0 UNC Hospitals was recognized and deemed \u201cMeritorious\u201d across the \u201cAll Cases\u201d and the \u201cHigh-Risk Cases\u201d categories<\/p>\n
\nDr. Matthew Nielsen, Professor and Interim Chair of the Department, was a panelist and contributing author to the American Urological Association\u2019s\u00a0new 2020 Guideline\u00a0for the evaluation of hematuria, released this week. The guideline will be presented by panel co-Chairs at the AUA Live Virtual Experience at 3:45pm on Saturday, June 27.<\/p>\n
\nJoin BCAN and Drs. Richard Matulewicz and Marc Bjurlin to answer real questions from participants about smoking and bladder cancer.<\/p>\n
\nJoin BCAN and Drs. Richard Matulewicz and Marc Bjurlin to talk about why quitting is so important and resources for quitting.<\/p>\nProfessional Development<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nCongratulations to Dr. Kristy Borawski, Associate Professor of Urology for her nomination and selection into the Academic Career Leadership Academy in Medicine (ACCLAIM) program.<\/p>\n
\nIt is with great pleasure that the UNC Urology Department announces the promotion of Dr. Brad Figler to the position of Clinical Associate Professor.<\/p>\n
\nCongratulations to Dr. Matthew Coward on his recent selection to the 2020-2021 AUA Leadership Program. This highly competitive program identifies urologists who have demonstrated effective leadership skills within organized medicine and the community.<\/p>\n
\nWe are pleased to announce that\u00a0Hung-Jui “Ray” Tan, MD, MSHPM\u00a0has been selected to participate in the 2020\u00a0Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer (TIDIRC), and program supported by the\u00a0National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS).<\/p>\nResearch<\/h2>\n<\/a>
\nThe 2020 Hettleman Talks took place virtually on Monday 10\/19\/2020 at 3 pm as part of University Research Week. Dr. Angela Smith will speak on “Engaging Patients for Better Care”<\/p>\n