2) Broad range of surgeries. The next thing to consider is whether you like the types of
surgeries performed by urologists. Urologic surgeries vary greatly from 10-hour
cystectomy with neobladder operations to 30-minute vasectomies, circumcisions,
or cystoscopies. Thus, one of the most appealing aspects of urology for many
people is the wide variety of procedures. Performing the large surgeries (aka
"big whacks") early on in your career and tapering to the shorter
procedures as you get older is well within reason. Many urologists, especially
those in academia, elect to become experts in a particular aspect of urologic
surgery, such as kidney surgery, prostate surgery, or penile surgery. Another
important advantage of urologic surgeries is the quality and range of
preoperative imaging (eg. cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, pyeloscopy, and urography,
along with CT/MR). As a result, each operation begins with a clear objective
and plan, and explorative laparotomies have almost no place in urology. This
makes for a much more gratifying surgical experience.
