Career Overview
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and the renal glands.
Also Known As
- MD (Medical Doctor)
- Physician
- Urologist
- Urology MD (Urology Medical Doctor)
Alternate Job Titles
- Acute Care Physician
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- General Urologist
- Male Infertility Specialist
- MD (Medical Doctor)
- Neurourologist
- Owner
- Pediatric Urologist
- Physician
- Practicing Urologist
- Surgeon
- Urologic Surgeon
- Urologist
- Urology MD (Urology Medical Doctor)
- Urology Physician
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Diagnose or treat diseases or disorders of genitourinary organs and tracts including erectile dysfunction (ED), infertility, incontinence, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, urethral stones, or premature ejaculation.
- Examine patients using equipment, such as radiograph (x-ray) machines or fluoroscopes, to determine the nature and extent of disorder or injury.
- Order and interpret the results of diagnostic tests, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening, to detect prostate cancer.
- Document or review patients' histories.
- Prescribe or administer antibiotics, antiseptics, or compresses to treat infection or injury.
- Treat urologic disorders using alternatives to traditional surgery such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, laparoscopy, or laser techniques.
- Provide urology consultation to physicians or other health care professionals.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Therapy and Counseling
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Chemistry
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Information Ordering
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Biofeedback equipment
- Bladder scanners
- Catheter forceps
- Catheter trays
- Cystoscopes or cystourethroscopes
- Desktop computers
- Diagnostic ultrasound scanners
- Dilator catheters
- Electrocardiography EKG machines
- Electromyographs EMG
- Electrosurgical coagulation units
- Erectile dysfunction analyzers
- Hypodermic syringes
- Intracorporeal lithotripters
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Physicians, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Urologists.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $66,860 |
| Median | >$239,200 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | >$239,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 315,360
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Pediatric Surgeons
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Cardiologists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
General Internal Medicine Physicians
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $236,350
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.