Urology

Are urologists male doctors? Incorrect. Women also suffer from many of the diseases urologists treat, such as urinary tract infections, abscesses, or bladder or kidney cancer. In the field of pediatric urology we deal with diseases such as enuresis (involuntary wetting), phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin) or retained testicles. Male diseases are problems with the penis, testicles and prostate. The field of urology includes the prevention, detection, treatment, cure and rehabilitation of diseases, dysfunctions, malformations and lesions of the male urogenital system and female urinary organs.

Where do urologists work? The work takes place in a clinic or urology office. Anyone with an eye on the branch can check in advance the level of care provided by urologists in the desired region. A new practice can only be opened if the coverage rate in a district region is less than 110% (areas colored gray on the map). In the district regions colored in dark green, only one existing study can be detected.

The training period in urology lasts 60 months and must be completed with a person authorized to impart further training at a training center in accordance with § 5 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 of the Further Training Regulations, of which 12 months can be completed in another field.

The demographic factor alone speaks to the future vitality of urology. But it is not just the large number of patients that makes urology attractive to young people. There are also interesting diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. Prof. Dr. Maurice Stephan Michel explains what they are in the interview with esanum. By 2030, the need for urological care will increase by 20%. The “Urology Future Offensive” is developing concepts to overcome this challenge, in particular to do justice to geriatric patients. The “Young Urologists” working group gathers ideas for better specialist training, compatibility between work and family, compatibility between clinics and research. At an international level, German urology occupies an excellent position: it brings together all urological needs in a single professional, from childhood to oncological therapies

Urology, in fact, is not a niche subject for doctors with particular interests, but rather for generalists. Direct patient treatment is just as commonplace as laboratory tests or exchanges with colleagues from other disciplines, for example on psychological therapy. Operating is not a duty, but it can be done, and even in this case the options are different. Some urologists operate using open incision operations, others use a control console using a surgical robot, still others operate under a microscope, for example during vasovasostomy, that is, joining the vas deferens if the desire to have children arises after previous sterilization.

Urology specialists are paid as employees in hospitals according to the collective agreement in force there. Collective agreements provide for uniform remuneration for all specialists based on professional experience and qualifications. There are therefore no differences in income between the individual disciplines. At the beginning of their career and in the first five years of work, specialists in Germany earn on average 4,600 euros gross per month. However, the salary increases with the number of years of service. After five years they already earn a gross monthly salary of almost 5,700 euros.

However, salary differences may arise depending on the type and number of shifts: If you do a lot of night, shift and rotation work, this translates into a higher income thanks to supplements. Anyone who takes on additional tasks or obtains a management position can also expect a correspondingly higher salary. Once a certain level of qualification has been reached, it is often no longer necessary to be bound by a collective agreement. Here salaries are then freely negotiated. ​Working in your own practice In principle, however, urologists in their practice earn very well compared to other disciplines: in Germany their average annual net income is around 227,000 euros with a total income of around 436,000 euros.