Job Information

UAB Urology – Fellowship in Advanced Endourology and Stone Disease

This is a 1-year clinical or 2-year clinical research fellowship, which immerses trainees in high volumes of endourologic disease management and a variety of research opportunities.

Fellows receive training in both clinical urology and research during their fellowship. Departmental teaching conferences include weekly topical lectures by departmental faculty, weekly grand rounds presentations, and monthly morbidity and mortality conferences. Endourology fellows engage in resident teaching both in the operating room and in the clinic. The clinical schedule includes operating room experience in endourology cases, as well as mentored clinic including more than 50 patient encounters on a weekly basis. Specific goals of the fellow will be emphasized, including research, cases of interest in advanced stone disease, or other collaborations.

Regularly performed procedures

• Percutaneous access techniques –ultrasound and fluoroscopic
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (standard, mini PCNL, ECIRS)
• Complex/advanced ureteroscopy
• HoLEP
• Other BPH treatments

Research Goals and Objectives: At the completion of fellowship, the fellow will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the scientific methodology, design, biostatistical analysis, and reporting of basic, translational, and clinical/epidemiologic urinary stone research. The fellow will demonstrate the integration of these techniques through the presentation of his or her work at scientific meetings and the publication of the work in reputable journals.

a.         Research design skills are demonstrated during research meetings and observed through the observation and critique of presented research at local, regional and international scientific meetings;

b.         Study design and biostatistics is demonstrated as an integral portion of the research experience and is discussed during protocol review meetings. Biostatistical support is available at the program, as are resources for protocol development and grant writing; and

c.         The thoughtful critique of scientific grants and manuscripts will be demonstrated by fellows through protocol review conferences as well as the initial review of selected manuscripts from their research mentor.

Clinical Year Goals and Objectives

At the completion of the fellowship, the fellow will be able to:

1. Discuss the epidemiology, natural history, risk factors, and genetics of urinary stone disease.
2. Discuss the roles of surgery and medical treatment for urinary stone disease and BPH:
3. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate and recommend appropriate evaluation and therapy of tertiary referral patients, as well as manage a busy clinic.
4. Demonstrate the surgical knowledge, judgment and skill and to independently perform complex surgery, recognizing the benefits and limitations of surgical therapy.
5. Discuss the evaluation and management of complications of surgery.
6. Perform and teach all advanced endourological surgeries independently.
7. Work within the OHF Care Center and understand the complexity of management of patients with primary hyperoxaluria.

Outpatient Experience Goals and Objectives

The endourology fellows will be able to demonstrate:

• Compassionate and empathetic patient interaction skills.
• Appropriate history and physical examination skills for patients, including an appreciation for the requirement for complete examinations for initial evaluations and follow-up visits for patients at risk of systemic disease.
• Competence in the performance of common outpatient procedures such as renal ultrasound, cystoscopy, and stent and nephrostomy tube manipulation.
• Knowledge of the appropriate laboratory and radiographic evaluation for the initial evaluation and the appropriate interval and laboratory and radiographic evaluation.
• Knowledge of the appropriate risk assessment for the safe surgical care of patients.
• Knowledge of the role of multimodality therapy in the evaluation and treatment of patients.
• Knowledge of the risks, benefits, and possible complications of surgery.
• Knowledge on primary hyperoxaluria and the current landscape of genetics, workup,

and management.

Research Description and Responsibilities

Clinical research projects are ongoing by all of the above faculty members and includes multiple large databases containing the genetic and metabolic workup of kidney stone patients. An active laboratory experience also exists supporting any fellow that wants to engage in the robust translational work occurring in the Kidney Stone Research Laboratory. These projects are performed under the joint mentorship of all key faculty. Fellows are expected to participate in designing research protocols, and analyzing data in addition to preparing manuscripts and oral presentations. Fellows are expected to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present their work at regional, national, and international meetings.

Degree or Accreditation

Upon the completion of fellowship, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Department of Urology confer a certificate of satisfactory completion issued by the Endourological Society.

For more information regarding the Endourology/Stones fellowship, please contact:

Dr. Kyle Wood at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or the fellowship coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 Fellowship Staff:

Kyle D. Wood, MD - Fellowship Director

Adam S. Baumgarten, MD – Reconstruction, Benign, Robotic Lap

Jeffrey W. Nix, MD – Benign, Robotic Lap

Tom Chi, MD – Endourology Staff

Joseph J. Crivelli, MD, Endourology Staff

Joel Funk, M.D. - Endourology Staff (Coming 2025)

James Bryant, MD – Endourology Staff

Sonia Fargue, MD, PhD – Director of Kidney Stone Research Lab

John Knight, PhD – Research Faculty

Kaz Taguchi, MD, PhD – Endourology Staff

Previous and Incoming Graduates of Endourology/Stones Fellowship: