As I boarded my flight to Washington, DC, on a casual Sunday, I was embarking on my journey to the 2024 AUA Annual Advocacy Summit as a participant in the AUA Future Urology Talent from Under-Represented Entities (AUA FUTURE) Program. This opportunity filled me with anticipation and gratitude, but little did I realize at that time the profound impact and opportunities that awaited me in the days ahead. As a female Puerto Rican aspiring urologist, I acknowledge the unique challenges I may face in this field regarding representation. However, I also recognize my strengths and the takes that I can bring to the table—a deep commitment to diversity, inclusion, and teamwork, and an avid dedication for the health of my future patients. Urology represents the perfect combination of surgical practice and compassionate patient care. It is one of the few specialties that offers the opportunity to encourage enduring relationships with patients while mastering the complexities of surgery and clinical practice. This specialty encourages the embodiment of humanity in practice through empathy and compassion, a perfect fit for me.

Upon entering the AUA FUTURE Program with the guidance of Dr Lourdes Guerrios Rivera, my AUA FUTURE mentor from Puerto Rico, I began a path of discovery through the innovative UpSquad Platform. Functioning as a social network tailored for medical students and urologists, UpSquad has revolutionized accessibility for medical students within this specialty. This platform provided me the chance to connect with mentors and future colleagues. Being able to chat and meet directly with urologists from all over the United States and Puerto Rico, I was able to make incredible connections, surpassing geographical barriers. The use of this application has also allowed me to obtain insight regarding how to strengthen my residency application, the expansion of my network, mentorship, and the incredible academic opportunities in respected institutions. The UpSquad platform has facilitated my active participation within the AUA FUTURE Program. Being an AUA FUTURE Program Mentee has been an essential part of my development toward becoming an urologist.

I was not aware that my participation in the AUA Annual Advocacy Summit as an AUA FUTURE Mentee would have such a profound impact on my path as an aspiring physician. Attending this summit was eye-opening, as it allowed me to obtain a wide-ranging understanding of the socioeconomic difficulties urologists in both the United States and Puerto Rico face on a day-to-day basis. Serious issues such as the shortage of urologists relative to the growing patient population, the complicated economic dynamics affecting Medicare reimbursement rates, and the importance of telehealth’s role in health care accessibility were discussed in detail. Despite being a mere third-year medical student from Puerto Rico, I found myself standing alongside esteemed mentors and urologists I deeply admire, such as Dr Denise Asafu-Adjei, Dr Larissa Bresler, Dr Christopher M. González, and Dr Thomas F. Stringer, on Capitol Hill, advocating for our specialty’s rightful place in the policymaking field. Participating in this summit ignited within me a newfound passion for advocacy and the socioeconomic and political scopes of medicine. After attending this summit, I now know that voicing my concerns for honorable causes is achievable within the realm of urology. This experience has instilled unique strengths and resilience that will help me confront challenges with grace.

The AUA FUTURE Program has served as a catalyst for my personal and professional growth, allowing me to access information and tools that will allow me to thrive. In the near future, I aim to be able to use this experience to encourage greater involvement from physicians, residents, and students from Puerto Rico in the crucial matters of urologic advocacy and mentorship. As my mentors taught me, I hope that one day I get the opportunity of passing the baton to FUTURE generations within urology, to take up the job that is not yet done. My participation in the AUA FUTURE Program has engrained in me a deep awareness regarding the importance of representation and mentorship in shaping the FUTURE in urology, and that understanding has made all the difference.