Resident Experience - PGY 4

Post-graduate Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5

PGY 4:

Rotations in Pediatric Urology, Christus St. Joseph Hospital, and MD Anderson Cancer Center require the senior residents a great deal of background information, well-developed surgical skills, diagnostic ability, judgment.

Pediatric Urology:

The pediatric urology rotation is a one-on-one rotation with the pediatric urology faculty and involves 2 clinic weekly, coverage at LBJ Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. PGY4's are expected to bring considerable basic knowledge to the pediatric rotation. At end, will be able to do examinations and evaluate children of all ages including evaluation by endoscopy, radiology, ultrasonography, and urodynamics. Care of well and sick children undergoing urologic evaluation or treatment will be mastered. Responsibility of running the service will fall on the PGY4 and pediatric surgical skills including magnification will be mastered.

Christus St. Joseph Hospital:

This rotation at a private hospital is designed to allow the resident to improve his/her surgical skills. It is a different exposure than they receive at other hospitals. The level of responsibility provided to the urology residents at St. Joseph's is similar to that of chief resident. The extent of the resident's role with each of the attending physician varies according to expectations of these positions. The residents round on all the patients and are not to serve in lieu of the attending physician.

Call for the ER at St. Joseph's to assist Urology faculty with assessment and treatment of patients in addition to regularly scheduled call for PGY4's will reside and will be carefully supervised by Dr. John Bertini, academic Chief responsible for evaluation and monitoring activities during the resident's rotation. It should not be interpreted as a surgery rotation only, but to bring knowledge and skills into focus in an excellent community hospital. Excellence in a variety of hospital settings is the ultimate underlying goal.

MD Anderson Cancer Center:

PGY4's responsibilities at MD Anderson are increasing commensurate with the resident ability. Faculty have made a great effort to increase the surgical responsibilities for the resident assisting on major cancer operations. Combined with this is the responsibility for pre-and post-operative care for the patients at this level of training. Continued participation in clinic provides a continuity of care involved of patients both before and after surgery. Rotations have been invaluable for the maturation of the surgical training of the residents before their chief resident year.