The 2023 Society of Academic Urology (SAU) Winter Meeting is geared toward assisting clinician educators and program coordinators in their efforts to mentor and train the next generation of urologists across the entire spectrum of medical education. As compared to the SAU meeting at the AUA, this meeting has traditionally represented a larger 2-day conference that expounds upon important topics in education and allows for professional networking within the academic community. The upcoming winter event will take place January 20-21, 2023, in Dallas, Texas.

This year, the meeting will have a significant professional development focus. These talks will span the gamut of faculty coaching and team-building initiatives from seeking out leadership opportunities to coping with imposter syndrome and perceived barriers to advancement. Discussions will feature practical advice for modern educators on contract negotiation and assigning value to nonclinical educational endeavors. Also in this vein, the program will address departmental leadership challenges, such as sustaining institutional productivity and quality metrics without compromising trainee education. The broad scope of topics in this category is intended to provide meaningful insights to academicians in various leadership positions and at differing stages of their career.

The conference will also have 2 keynote speakers to reflect upon important topics framing contemporary clinical practice. Dr Kelvin A. Moses, Associate Professor of Urology at Vanderbilt University, will speak on promoting health equity and the responsible involvement of trainees in the care of vulnerable populations. Dr Christopher Gonzalez, Professor of Urology at Loyola University, will discuss the impact of current health care policy on our profession and reflect upon the responsibility of urologists in this evolving political landscape. We anticipate these talks from thought leaders in our field will help set the stage for meaningful reflection and dialogue.

Last, the meeting will continue to highlight state-of-the-art practices pertaining to trainee education. These themes will include ongoing discussion of the medical student recruitment process. This section will review several topics, including key insights on structuring visiting rotations, holistic application review, critical interpretation of letters of recommendation, and the responsible use of social media when interfacing with candidates. We will also feature 2 panels on the virtual interview process, one involving program leadership and the other junior urology residents, as we continue to define the impact of residency interviews that are no longer carried out in person. Additionally, the meeting will continue to address important aspects of resident education. Talks will focus on academic curricular design, optimizing visiting professor programs, and teaching residents the “hidden” curriculum of core nonclinical topics relevant to independent practice. Resident education seminars will also highlight critical facets of surgical training, including optimizing resident preparedness and engagement in the operating room, and mechanisms of assessing surgical competency. Overall, these sessions should provide a robust overview of current issues affecting the spectrum of medical education.

All in all, we anticipate the content and company of this meeting will be enriching, and we look forward to participation from various members of our professional community. A full description of the meeting and registration information can be accessed on the SAU website: https://sauweb.org/meetings/upcoming-meetings.aspx. We hope to see you there!