The 2 year fellowship program aims to provide candidates with a comprehensive experience in robotic and laparoscopic surgery as well as endourological procedures for the management of kidney stone disease and benign prostate enlargement, particularly enucleation techniques with a wide array of energies. During the duration of the program, candidates will gain broad exposure to minimally invasive techniques, ensuring a high-volume learning.
The program is based mainly in two institutions, the UANL university Hospital “Dr. José Eleuterio González” and the private medicine center “Hospital Angeles Valle Oriente” where the majority of the robotic surgery procedures are performed.
To complement and develop a full understanding of the application of minimally invasive surgery in management of urological diseases, the fellowship adopts a multidisciplinary approach, working side by side with experts from diverse specialties such as radiology, medical oncology, internal medicine and radio-oncology. Additionally because of the nature of procedures that are performed we work in collaboration with other urological subspecialties such as reconstructive urology, pediatrics and andrology.
In the academic and research field, we have weekly academic sessions on hot topics on the field and inter fellow sessions with other national programs of minimally invasive surgery. During the 2 year program we incite and have the opportunity to develop multiple lines of investigation and research, expecting to participate and submit video, oral or poster presentations in national and international scientific meetings. Also, as a requirement for graduation a manuscript is expected to be publicized in a peer reviewed journal. Searching to be part of the development of skills and education process, the fellowship program organize multiple training courses in endourology and robotic surgery for the urological community in which the role of the fellows is to participate in academic sessions, organization of the course, and surgical support for national and international experts.
The goal of the fellowship is to provide the tools to form future leaders in the field through mentorship. This mentorship is enhanced through advanced knowledge, clinical expertise, development of surgical skills and guidance. In addition to the surgical procedures, the candidates have access to bench space, anatomy lab and laparoscopic - robotic simulationwith the support of an expert supervisor. The simulation and practice hours in laparoscopic and robotic surgery are mandatory on weekly basis with an scheduled calendar so every progress of the fellows can be recorded and evaluated.
Training simulation hours: 4-5 hours/weekly by field (laparoscopic or robotic)
We are proud to be part of international observerships programs in agreement with some of the most important medical centers around the world. We encourage every fellow to take one observership rotation every year (1 month per year) in one of these centers according to the field of interest. In the actual time we have rotations in South America (University of Sao Paulo), North America (Jefferson Hospital) and Europe (Instituto Nazionale Tumori Regina Elena).
The exposure of the fellows to surgical cases includes a wide array of endourological, robotic and laparoscopic procedures for treatment of multiple conditions around urological subspecialties. We present the current number of procedures in the last 2 years, showing the increasing numbers of our program:
PROCEDURES
2024
- Robotic surgery: 61
- Laparoscopic surgery (oncological, reconstructive, benign kidney and prostate): 140
- Enucleation of the prostate: 101
- Endourology (PCNL, ECIRS, Ureteroscopy): 124
2025 (both institutions)
- Endourology (PCNL, ECIRS, Ureteroscopy, endopielolithotomy): 92
- Laparoscopic surgery (oncological, reconstructive, kidney, and benign prostate
enlargement): 115
- Robotic surgery: 72
- Enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP & ThuFLEP): 83
FACULTY:
MD. José Antonio Zapata González
- Program director
MD. Bernardo Rodolfo Rodríguez Delgado
- Assistant Professor
MD. Fred Alain Montelongo Rodríguez
- Assistant Professor
MD. Adrian Gutiérrez González
- Chairman of Urology