Four phases in the metamorphosis of the consultant urologist

Abstract

Urology has been deemed the happiest surgical specialty in a United States survey of >250,000 surgeons[1] , similar to the UK. So, what does a career of a urologist in the UK really look like? The average career of a urologist is 37 years, 1/3 in training and 2/3 as a Consultant[2] , with most urologists under the age of 43 years working to 68 to achieve UK state pension age (SPA). As most consultants currently retire at 61[2] , this poses workforce issues; young consultants will need to work for longer, to fund the gap to their extended SPA; earlier retirement of more senior generations erodes provision of urological services[3,4] , and reduces the continuity of corporate memory. A retention, and overlap, of both junior and senior consultant urologists using an empathic team approach is, therefore, vital to prevent diminution of the number in, and the knowledge base of, the talented and productive senior component of the workforce. Here, we will attempt to walk in another s shoes, defining stages in urological careers to attempt to understand drivers to premature departure from the profession.