Jefferson Medical College was founded in 1824, now known as the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and has more living physician graduates than any other medical school in the country. The Department of Urology was founded in 1904 at Thomas Jefferson University, making us one of the oldest departments in the United States. While many physicians were traditionally trained in “Genitourinary Surgery” in the early 1900s, the urology residency was formally established at Jefferson in 1946 by Dr. D. M. Davis, one of the well-known figures in modern urology. Almost 100 physicians have completed formal urology residency or fellowship training since that time. In 2004 we celebrated our centennial year with a variety of special events, including the dedication of the Jefferson Urology Museum.

We are pleased with the organization of the urology residency training program at Jefferson. Eighteen months of preliminary general surgery is completed at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital that includes exposure to all surgical disciplines, including transplantation. The urology residency combines exposure to a variety of practice settings: an academic medical center (Thomas Jefferson University Hospital), a community hospital (Bryn Mawr Hospital), the Wilmington Veterans Administration Hospital, and the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children. In addition to a comprehensive conference and grand rounds schedule, the program also incorporates dedicated research time and ongoing involvement with translational research and clinical trials. Departmental resources are designed to enhance the learning of our house staff while providing state-of-the-art care for our patients.

The urology faculty consists of fourteen clinical physicians and three basic science researchers based at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Our pediatric staff includes three full-time attending physicians who practice at both A.I. duPont Hospital for Children and at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Additional affiliate faculty maintain practices at Bryn Mawr Hospital and at the Wilmington VA Medical Center. Our department features nationally and internationally recognized faculty in all major disciplines, including endourology, laparoscopy, urologic oncology, neurourology, female urology, andrology, and pediatric urology. Basic science efforts include focused research programs in urologic oncology, neurourology, and bladder infection and inflammation. Translational research correlations are stressed in all areas of clinical activity.

Jefferson University Hospital over the years has been ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation. U.S. News & World Report named Jefferson University Hospital among America's best hospital's for urologic care and has been recognized as one of the leading centers for prostate cancer care. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is a 927-bed acute care facility, with 180 sub-acute and long-term care beds. There are more 40,000 admissions a year and almost 500,000 outpatient visits annually, providing a significant experience for all Jefferson training programs.

Clinical resources include four state-of-the-art voice-activated minimally invasive surgical suites for laparoscopic interventions, dedicated endourology suites with full standard and digital imaging capabilities, a full complement of lasers, and dedicated inpatient and outpatient urodynamics facilities. Additional resources include prostate thermotherapy and cryotherapy units, the Prostate Diagnostic Center and the Genitourinary Multidisciplinary Cancer Clinic of our NCI-designated Kimmel Cancer Center. Residents fully participate in all of these areas of clinical care during training.

The Philadelphia region provides a wealth of professional and recreational opportunities. Our city's heritage includes significant contributions to both American and medical history. I thank you for your interest in our Urology Residency Program.

Leonard G. Gomella, MD
Bernard W. Godwin, Jr. Professor of Prostate Cancer 
Chairman, Department of Urology 
Thomas Jefferson University
Associate Director, Kimmel Cancer Center