Urology is a specialty within medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating ailments that affect the urinary tract, as well as keeping the urinary tract healthy. The urinary tract includes the bladder, ureters, urethra, the kidneys, and the male sex organs. Because urology includes many other organs in the body, urologists can further specialize in other areas and therefore, find more employment opportunities. Here’s a look at six subspecialties in urology and where these urologists can find employment.
#1: Pediatric Urology
Pediatrics is a specialty of medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating patients from infancy through adolescence. The majority of medical specialties (especially internal medicine) focus on adults, so there has to be a subspecialty within each specialty that focuses on children because their bodies aren’t the same as adults. Examples of some conditions treated by pediatric urologists include:
- Bladder infections
- Hernias
- Nocturnal and daytime bedwetting
- Tumors
- Urinary tract infections
Pediatric urologists are most likely to find employment in children’s hospitals, pediatric practices, sleep clinics, and other medical settings that focus on treating children.
#2: Oncology and Hematology
Oncology and hematology are subspecialties of internal medicine, which is a subspecialty of medicine. Oncology is the subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the diagnosis and treatment of cancer— including cancers that affect the urinary tract and organs. Hematology is often combined with oncology since it’s the subspecialty of internal medicine that focuses on disorders of the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic systems. Urologists that choose to further specialize in oncology and hematology are likely to find employment in oncology clinics and other types of cancer treatment centers.
#3: Neuro Urology
Neurology is a specialty within medicine that focuses on ailments affecting the entire nervous system, and these ailments can trigger problems with the bladder— and this is where neuro urology comes in. Examples of neuro ailments that may affect the bladder include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Spinal cord injuries
- Stroke
Neuro urologists can find work in a variety of different medical settings, including hospitals, neurology clinics, and urology clinics.
#4: Nephrology
Nephrology is a subspecialty of internal medicine that is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the kidneys. The kidneys play a crucial role in the urinary system, so urologists and nephrologists work closely together. Examples of conditions that urologists specializing in nephrology may treat include:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Glomerulonephritis
- Nephrolithiasis
- Tubulointerstitial kidney diseases
Due to the nature of this subspecialty, urologists specializing in nephrology can find work in nephrology clinics, hospitals and other in-patient settings, out-patient settings, laboratory settings, and even dialysis centers. They’ll work alongside nephrologists and even cardiologists.
#5: Male Infertility
Urology is concerned with the urinary tract in men, women, and children, but women and children also have their own specialists. Male infertility is a subspecialty within urology that also focuses on the male reproductive system as well as the urinary tract. The urinary tract of both men and women are closely related to their reproductive systems, so men can see a urologist for issues and situations such as:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Prostate exams
- Vasectomies and vasectomy reversal
Urologists specializing in male infertility can find employment in urology centers, private practices (e.g., family medicine, internal medicine, etc.), hospitals, and even fertility clinics.
#6: Female Urology (Gynecology)
As mentioned above, the urinary tract is closely tied with both the male and female reproductive system, so urologists can also specialize in the female reproductive system, which is also known as gynecology. This is often referred to as urogynecology, and urologists can find employment in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) offices treating both urinary tract issues and reproductive system issues in women. Urologists specializing in female urology can also find employment in other types of private practices, hospitals, fertility clinics, and urology centers.
It’s important to note that because all urologists are also trained as surgeons, it’s possible to find employment in surgical settings as well. Not all urology subspecialties require physicians to do surgical procedures, but your ability to perform surgeries gives you more employment options.
Urologists can find employment in a variety of medical settings no matter what their subspecialty may be, and those working in certain areas may also be able to find work in laboratory or academic settings. Also, being able to perform surgery on the urinary tract will also open up more doors for employment as this is an important skill to have in the medical field.
