A urology specialist is a surgeon who specializes in treating disorders and diseases of the urinary tract and male reproductive system in both men and women. Patients with conditions affecting organs such as the bladder and kidneys may be treated by a urology surgeon. He may also be able to help patients with prostate problems or infertility.
A urology specialist can help with a variety of issues. Urinary incontinence and bladder cancer are two of them. Individuals with kidney or bladder stones, testicular cancer, enlarged prostate glands, or impotence may be treated by someone in this field. Urinary tract infections are treated by this type of surgeon in both men and women.
A urology specialist might work in a hospital or another medical setting. Instead, some of these surgeons choose to open their own practices. This type of specialist, regardless of where he works, usually consults with other doctors to provide the best care for his patients. To ensure the success of his patient’s treatment, he might, for example, consult with the patient’s primary care doctor or oncologist.
A urology specialist may choose to specialize in one or more sub-specialties. He could, for example, choose to specialize in pediatric urology and work only with children. Another urologist might specialize in urologic oncology and work with cancer patients. Some may prefer to specialize in female urology, dealing only with female urinary tract disorders, while others may prefer to perform kidney transplants.
A urology specialist may choose to work exclusively with male patients, treating infections, obstructions, and prostate gland disorders. He may also deal with issues such as sexual dysfunction or infertility. Vasectomies, which prevent men from fathering children, may be performed by a specialist who treats men.
Although urology specialists are trained to perform surgery, they are not limited to it. In addition to or instead of surgical care, a person in this field diagnoses conditions and may provide medicinal treatment. When treating his patients, he may also use a variety of specialized equipment, such as catheters and diathermy machines, which heat bodily tissues.
A person who chooses this path typically has several years of education ahead of him. He must finish high school before enrolling in college, where he will earn a bachelor’s degree after four years of study. Following college, an aspiring urology specialist attends medical school for four years. After completing all of this education, an aspiring urology specialist must complete five or more years of residency training before becoming a urology specialist.