Dr Kotb is a uro-oncology surgeon who has been fortunate to manage and guide patients through their journeys against urological malignancies. His main areas of interest include the surgical management of kidney, bladder, and prostatic cancer. He began his career in Egypt and later moved to the UK where he worked as a consultant, responsible for bladder cancer care in North Wales. He has spent the last 5 years practicing in Canada, where he has furthered his passion for fighting cancer in Northern Ontario.

Dr Kotb also has a strong passion for academics and education. Through his career, he has enjoyed providing urology education to undergraduate and postgraduate students. His interest in research was sparked by the encouragement of his professors and colleagues. Since moving to Northern Ontario, he has maintained ongoing research in parallel with his clinical activities. He feels that research is one of the best ways to consolidate and adjust clinical and surgical approaches to ultimately achieve better outcomes. He also believes that research provides the opportunity for the advancement of his academic career and to collaborate with like-minded urologists.

The AUA Leadership Program is a very prestigious program, gathering urologists sharing similar interests and guiding them through clear steps mentored by highly experienced mentors. The program is undoubtedly competitive, and initially, Dr Kotb hesitated to apply given the high volume of qualified applicants and limited spots. Nonetheless, he completed the application with the hopes of advancing his academic career to the next level. Receiving the acceptance letter to join the 2023/2024 program was a surprise and a great honor. The program is well-planned and will allow the opportunity to meet with mentors who are well-known clinicians and academic figures, and with other accepted colleagues who are all highly respected and top-tier clinicians.

There are many personal benefits from participating from his perspective. In particular, he looks forward to connecting with experienced mentors who can provide advice and directions based on their experience. He is also excited to meet and collaborate with the best urologists in the world, with the hopes of maintaining relationships beyond the training year of the Leadership Class. He hopes to leave the program with enhanced personal and professional development.

Ultimately, he feels this Leadership Class will be a way to serve the broader urology community. The program will help him to understand the different obstacles in delivering urological care and think about pathways to solve these problems. It is anticipated that the program will provide guidance to address community challenges and propose feasible solutions. At the end of the program, the ultimate goal is to be a true community leader by gaining experience and knowledge at a higher level to improve patient care and community needs. It will always be an honor to be one of the AUA pillars in his community.