Fifty years ago, virtually all medical students in the United States received didactic training in urology. As of 2008, only 17 percent of medical students do so. Despite the explosion of medical information that has occurred over this time, it is still critically important that well-educated medical students learn the essentials in urology before they graduate, whether or not they elect to do a rotation in the field.

So, what are the essentials in urology that every student should know before graduating from medical school? To answer this question, two urologists, Drs. Price Kerfoot and Paul Turek, surveyed hundreds of residency directors from different medical disciplines as well as graduating medical students, and analyzed and published what these stakeholders felt all students needed to know about urology. Based on this research, an essential curriculum for all medical students was developed by the AUA – a leader in providing quality, evidence-based urologic education – and is now available to all students. Through this innovative, standardized curriculum, it is the hope of this society that all students will learn the core principles and practices in urology that are important for every practicing physician to know and apply throughout their medical careers, regardless of their career path.

Medical Student Curriculum: Core Content

The following content represent the various subjects in urology that together form a knowledge base important for all graduating medical students.