The European School of Urology and the Open Medical Institute have collaborated for nearly 30 years to provide education to physicians from around the world. Urology, one of the most competitive and highly sought surgical specialties for physicians, is a very important medical field, as it is relevant to everyone. The annual Salzburg ESU/ Weill Cornell Master Class in Urology took place from July 9 to 15, 2023, at Schloss Arenberg. With 35 fellows from 31 different countries, participants had the opportunity to engage and network with a very international and diverse group.
Dr. Christopher R. Chapple, Honorary Professor and Emeritus Consultant Urological Surgeon at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in the United Kingdom, served as the course director, and Dr. Douglas S. Scherr, Professor of Urology and Clinical Director of Urologic Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine, co-led the course. Additional expert faculty members included Dr. Roger P. Goldberg from the USA, Dr. Nicolaas Lumen from Belgium, Dr. Francesco Sanguedolce from Spain, Dr. Zafer Tandogdu from the United Kingdom, and Dr. Alfred C. Winkler from the USA. The faculty taught 24 lectures, covering topics such as surgery or radiotherapy in advanced prostate cancer, update in the treatment of lower urinary tract infections, update on andrology and erectile dysfunction, management of the overactive bladder: pharmacotherapy, urethral stricture disease: anatomy, diagnosis, and minimally invasive treatment, tissue engineering: current concepts and future directions, and more.
Christopher R. Chapple, BSc, MBBS, MD, FRCS (Urol), FEBU, DHC
OMI Course Director
Throughout the week, three sessions were dedicated to fellows’ case presentations, which provided excellent opportunity for faculty and fellows to converse about complicated or rare cases. On Wednesday and Thursday afternoon laparoscopic hands-on training sessions took place, in which fellows practiced their skills on five Olympus training stations. During the workshop, both the basic E-BLUS and the intermediate pyeloplasty training were offered. Additionally, seven fellows took the E-BLUS exam on-site Thursday afternoon.
We are grateful to have had three Olympus team members, Maria Strauss, Catrinel Vasile, and Annegret Röhling, present in Salzburg to set up and oversee the training stations. To ensure fellows could maximize this learning opportunity, three tutors, Dr. Tiago Ribeiro de Oliveira, Dr. Laurian Dragos, and Dr. Daniel Oliveira-Reis, were available. They guided and supported all participants and answered any questions. We are grateful to all who helped make this hands-on learning opportunity possible!
The highly valuable ESU/Weill Cornell Master Class in Urology is groundbreaking for our international urologists because it not only empowers them with knowledge and skills for their current practice, but it enables them to make valuable contacts for the future.
The Salzburg ESU/ Weill Cornell Masterclass in Urology covered several key topics in the fields of uro-oncology, urinary tract infection, andrology, functional urology, and reconstructive surgery. The case presentations were very well constructed and led to extensive participation between fellows and faculty. There was great opportunity for social interaction between the fellows and faculty, which will provide the opportunity for professional contacts in the future. The hands-on training in laparoscopic techniques was well received, and the overall conclusion from all was that this was a week well spent. This key educational collaboration fits within the mission statements of the EAU and OMI, namely, to provide the best quality educational opportunities to support urologists in providing the best possible care to their patients. The take-home message is that it is important to carefully evaluate clinical conditions, take account of the evidence base as we know it, seek advice from colleagues whenever in doubt, and recognize that there is: ‘no such thing as brave surgeons, just brave patients’.
- 35 fellows
- 31 countries
- 1 hands-on laparoscopy training
