As you enter the operating room (OR), the patient, your patient, is prepped and draped and ready for the prescribed surgery. You’re confident because you’ve performed this surgery numerous times before, but this time it’s different. This time when you look over your shoulder, your attending is not there…because in this OR, you’re the attending. Such is the case for every urologist as they enter independent practice and conduct their first case. There is a clear sense of excitement, responsibility, and nervousness that befalls the new attending urologist. Despite years of school, residency, and possibly fellowship, there is so much yet to learn. For your patient undergoing surgery, there are atlases and videos that describe the anatomy reliably and proper surgical technique, but for the many other domains in your career and life, variance seems to be the norm and there are no clear-cut pathways. Each urologist must find their own way to carve out the career and life they seek.

The AUA Young Urologist Committee was formed to help provide some guidance for new urologists seeking to navigate the challenges of early career. A young urologist is a urologist within 10 years of completion of training. Training in the US is excellent for learning about urologic diseases and their management, but there is a significant knowledge gap in many domains outside of the ORs, wards, and clinic exam rooms. How to choose the right job, build a practice, hire advanced practice providers, request the right support from leadership or administration, understand and practice sound personal finance, navigate career transitions, and optimize work-life balance become critically important chapters. These chapters were never read because they were never written, but now in the urologist’s early career are much needed. Often, as was often done in college, med school, and residency, we look to colleagues who are a few years ahead of us to gain insight into such matters. Fortunately, there are more resources than ever to help understand such matters, including the AUA Young Urology Committee’s transition to practice manual, and several lectures and podcasts.

To this end, I consider myself fortunate to have been a young urologist surrounded by good mentors. I have gained much insight from my former senior residents who lit many of the possible paths ahead of me in my career. I have made many friendships from folks at other training programs and often called upon them for experience gained and lessons learned. I have benefited from the advocacy of numerous mentors and supporters who have suggested my name for committees, lectures, and activities. Such guidance was so helpful that it becomes natural to try to pay it forward and shine the path for those behind and alongside you. There have been so many young urologists who have accomplished so much; many have built admirable practices within their departments, been active educators within a residency program, conducted cutting-edge research or innovated surgical techniques, or even developed educational systems that benefit the residents within our section and beyond. I am just glad that I helped advise my residents and junior faculty and connect with others trying to do the same. Unlike many other achievement awards (for best research or presentation or education or service contribution), the AUA Young Urologist of the Year award recognizes those efforts to shine the way for others navigating that difficult trail during their early careers.