Urology Research Fellowship

Urology Research Fellowship at Hackensack University Medical Center

Program Overview

The Department of Urology began a one-year research fellowship in 2020. This fellowship gives medical students pursuing a career in urology a year-long opportunity to work closely with faculty and residents to lead novel and innovative research projects within the department.

Who should apply to be a Urology Research Fellow?

This program is ideal for any medical student seeking close mentorship from leaders in urology, deepening of research skills from idea proposal to publication and more. Applicants are typically between their third and fourth years of medical school and anticipate applying in the urology match the following year.

Why apply to be a Urology Research Fellow?

Benefits of becoming a Urology Research Fellow include:

Living expense stipend: A significant stipend to fund living expenses is provided for the fellow during their tenure.
One-year immersive urology experience: The duration of the position is for one year, typically starting and ending in July. The start and finish dates are flexible and can be discussed with department leadership.
Bolstering research and clinical skills: This fellowship is designed for individuals interested in extending their medical education to launch their clinical and research careers in urology and bolster their skill set in anticipation of applying for urology residency.
Leadership and research skill development: The fellow will practice leadership and become comfortable with all steps of the research process, including project management and more. The fellow will develop proficiency in communicating nuanced research topics to people with a range of familiarity with urology (including patients, attendings, residents, medical students and with the general urologic community).

Urology Research Fellowship Educational Opportunities

Educational opportunities may include:

Database Management, Research and Creation

Fellows will have access to a range of large and prospective databases studying genitourinary reconstruction, renal, bladder and prostate cancer. However, they may also propose and spearhead the creation of additional databases. There is also ample opportunity to work with established multi-institutional databases in collaboration with top-ranked institutions across the nation. Creation of databases may require IRB writing and submission, which the research fellow will learn to do independently. Additionally, they will be integrated into several investigator-initiated minimal risk clinical trials.

Research Team Participation and Leadership

The fellow is supported by a large research team. The fellow will lead a team of medical students from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine who will help populate information in the department’s prospective databases. It will be the fellow’s responsibility to lead the students and familiarize them with all steps of the research process, including idea brainstorming, data entry, abstract writing, manuscript writing and presentation.

This will allow the fellow to not only strengthen their network of urology applicants and peers, but also practice delegation, teaching skills and coordination of a large team with multiple concurrent projects. These are essential skills for leadership in medicine and beyond.

The fellow will also work closely with a full-time Data Coordinator to maintain the databases, pull information for presentations, create analytical reports and more. In addition, the fellow is closely supported by the institution’s statistics team for each project they pursue.

Publishing Opportunities

Clinical Engagement and Sub-Internship Opportunities

The fellow will be able to regularly shadow in the operating room and watch a variety of surgeries on the most leading-edge robotic consoles available on the market, including the da Vinci Single Port and da Vinci 5 systems. Shadowing opportunities for surgeries that are part of the fellow’s research projects enriches the learning experience and encourages formation of new ideas, while also providing important and relevant clinical knowledge before sub-internships and residency.

Due to the close-knit relationships among the surgical team and strong culture of mentorship for residents and fellows, the surgical team takes time to explain surgeries and answer questions — providing a unique level of engagement for the fellow.

If desired, fellows may take time off at the end of their research year to complete a sub-internship as a fourth-year medical student and work with the team in the clinical setting.

Mentorships

The fellow will gain close and valuable mentorship, working in the same office as the attendings and engaging in frequent face-to-face interaction. The fellow has the opportunity to work closely on projects with any and as many attendings that they would like. Attendings are accessible and willing to engage with the fellow, promoting strong mentor-mentee relationships that grow throughout the year and provide valuable support for career exploration, planning and more.

The fellow also works closely with all the residents in the Urology program. The residents are an integral part of the research team and are involved in brainstorming ideas, writing abstracts and manuscripts, presenting research and more. The fellow plays a large role in coordinating the residents’ research efforts and attends weekly Grand Rounds and Education conferences with the residents, which provides social and educational enrichment for the fellow.

Urology Fellowship Responsibilities

The fellow will be responsible for:

Submission of IRB applications.
Monitoring of ongoing clinical studies.
Data management across the institution’s databases.
Coordination and delegation of responsibility across the research team of medical students, residents and statisticians.
Abstract and manuscript preparation and submission.
Presentation of data at regional and national conferences.

Fellows will work closely with the Department’s full-time Research Coordinator and Research Nurse Coordinator to produce high impact contributions to the field of urology. Fellows will also participate in all Department of Urology’s educational activities. There are countless opportunities to engage in impactful experiences and form collaborative relationships within and outside the department.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for the Urology Research Fellowship, please email research coordinator, Ruth Sanchez De La Rosa, for additional information.

2024 Publications

Fellows participate in the publication of written abstracts, manuscripts, case reports, video abstracts and more.
Recent publications include:

Manuscripts

Lee M, Zhao K, Lee R, Lee Z, Raver M, Nguyen J, Munver R, Ahmed M, Stifelman MD, Zhao LC, Eun DD, Collaborative Of Reconstructive Robotic Ureteral Surgery Corrus. Preoperative Predictors of Surgical Success for Robotic Ureteral Reconstruction of Proximal and Middle Ureteral Strictures. Urology. 2024 Feb:184:101-104. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2023.12.003. Epub 2023 Dec 16.
[PMID: 38104667]

Hasley HL, Iarajuli T, Nguyen J, Thiemann D, Malik M, Roth J, Raver M, Stifelman M, Munver R, Ahmed M, Yerram N. Race-modified estimated glomerular filtration rate underestimates chronic kidney disease prevalence in Black patients undergoing partial and radical nephrectomy: Implications for surgical planning. Urol Ann. 2024 Jul-Sep;16(3):221-226. doi: 10.4103/ua.ua_7_24. Epub 2024 Jul 3.
[PMID: 39290227]

Ramos-Carpinteyro R, Soputro N, Pedraza AM, Calvo RS, Raver M, Manfredi C, Wang Y, Chavali JS, Okhawere K, Mikesell C, Ferguson E, Stifelman M, Badani KK, Autorino R, Rogers C, Ahmed M, Schwen ZR, Crivellaro S, Kaouk J. Incidental prostate carcinoma after single-port robot-assisted simple prostatectomy: a multi-institutional report (SPARC). Minerva Urol Nephrol. 2024 Oct;76(5):588-595. doi: 10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05886-5.
[PMID: 39320249]

Lee M, Zhao K, Chao B, Lee Z, Munver R, Ahmed M, Stifelman MD, Zhao LC, Eun DD; Collaborative of Reconstructive Robotic Ureteral Surgery (CORRUS). Preoperative Factors for Success of Robotic Ureteral Reconstruction for Distal Ureteral Strictures. J Endourol. 2024 Oct 21. doi: 10.1089/end.2024.0595. Online ahead of print.
[PMID: 39432479]

Raver M, Implicito C, Henrich M, Cao Q, Kim K, Gelman S, Saxena S, Sanchez De La Rosa R, Seidman S, Lovallo G, Munver R, Billah M, Ahmed M, Stifelman M. Does Incision Location Matter? Analysis of Single-Port Cosmesis in Urologic Reconstructive Surgery. J Endourol. 2024 Oct 28. doi: 10.1089/end.2024.0322. Online ahead of print.
[PMID: 39465250]

Chao BW, Raver M, Lin J, Zhao K, Lee M, Gelman S, Stifelman M, Zhao LC, Eun DD. Robotic Buccal Mucosa Graft Ureteroplasty: A Decade of Experience from a Multi-Institutional CohortUrology. 2024 Nov 30:S0090-4295(24)01115-4. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2024.11.059. Online ahead of print.
[PMID: 39622442]

Abstracts

Cadiente, A., Implicito, C., Ho, A., Udaiyar, A., Wan, C., Chen, J., Palmer, C., Cao, Q., Raver, M. & Billah, M.S. Comparing AI-Generated vs. Cochrane Review Summaries in Incontinence Research: A Comprehensive Analysis (poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Cheng N, Sheckley F, Billah M, Ahmed M. Single Port Robotic Retroperitoneal Approach Allows for Both Anterior and Posterior Access to Tumors in Partial Nephrectomy (video). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Raver M, Henrich M, Cao Q, Kim K, Brink S, Sanchez De La Rosa R, Lovallo G, Munver R, Billah M, Ahmed M, Stifelman M. Single-Port Surgery Delivers Improved Cosmesis Compared to Multi-port Surgery Regardless of Incision Site (podium presentation). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Raver M, Chao B, Lin J, Zhao K, Lee M, Eun D, Zhao LC, Stifelman M. A Decade of Multi-Institutional Experience with Robotic Ureteroplasty with Buccal Mucosa Graft (podium presentation). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Raver M, Ahmed M, Okhawere K, Saini I, Chaturvedi R, Patel M, Brink S, Calvo R, Soputro N, Ramos R, Noel O, Wang Y, Crivellaro S, Mansour A, Kaouk J, Singla N, Porter J, Abaza R, Bhandari A, Hemal A, Pierorazio P, Chung B, Rogers C, Mehrazin R, Badani K, Stifelman M. Adoption of Single Port Robotic Partial Nephrectomy Increases Utilization of the Retroperitoneal Approach: A Report from the Single-Port Advanced Research Consortium (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Lee M, Chao B, Zhao K, Lin J, Raver M, Stifelman M, Eun D, Zhao LC. Preoperative Indicators of Success for Robotic Ureteral Reconstruction of Distal Ureteral Strictures (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Chao B, Zhao K, Lee M, Lin J, Raver M, Stifelman M, Zhao LC, Eun D. Patient-reported symptoms suggestive of vesicoureteral reflux after adult ureteral reimplantation (podium presentation). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Okhawere K, Saini I, Sauer R, Zuluaga L, Raver M, Soputro N, Wang Y, Noel O, Lorenzo J, Eun D, Bhandari A, Hemal A, Porter J, Abaza R, Mansour A, Crivellaro S, Pierorazio P, Singla N, Rogers C, Kaouk JH, Stifelman M, Mehrazin R, Badani K. Comparison of outcomes between single-port and multi-port robotic radical nephrectomy: A report of the Single Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC) (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Brink S, Palmer C, Gelman S, Koo H. Seasonal Presentation of Pediatric Torsion (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6

Yerram N, Leger P, Raver M. Phase II Study of Neoadjuvant Lu—177-PSMA-617 in Patients with High Risk Localized Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Zuluaga L, Okhawere K, Razdan S, Saini I, Ucpinar B, Worth J, Sauer R, Raver M, Soputro N, Kaufmann B, Rogers C, Abaza R, Crivellaro S, Pierorazio P, Singla N, Kaouk JH, Stifelman M, Mehrazin R, Badani K. Single Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC): Single Port Access Comparison for Retro- peritoneal Robotic Partial Nephrectomy. Individualizing Surgical Approach (moderated poster). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Singh M, Raver M, Wong V, Drescher M, Billah M, Ahmed M. Single-Port Robotic-Assisted Transperitoneal Right Adrenalectomy for Management of Large Pheochromocytoma (video). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Soputro N, Ramos R, Calvo R, Moschovas M, Manfredi C, Raver M, Okhawere K, Wang Y, Snajdar E, Pedraza A, Mikesell C, Chavali J, Almajedi M, Lorentz A, Yuh B, Nix J, Joseph J, Moses K, Rogers C, Badani K, Nelson R, Patel V, Ahmed M, Stifelman M, Autorino R, Crivellaro S, Kaouk JH. Comparison Between Three Contemporary Approaches of Single-Port Robotic Radical Prostatectomy: A Report from the Single-Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC) Involving 1800 Patients (podium presentation). American Urological Association 119th Annual Meeting, San Antonio TX, May 3 - May 6.

Angelo Cadiente, Andre Ho, Jamie Chen, Catherine Implicito, Christopher Wan, Abinav Udaiyar, Charles Palmer, Qilin Cao, Michael Raver, Mubashir Billah. Efficacy of ChatGPT vs. Cochrane Summaries on Sexual Problems: A Readability Study (moderated poster). 41st World Congress of Endourology & Urotechnology (WCET) Seoul, South Korea, Aug 12 - Aug 18.

Catherine Implicito, Michael Raver, Vincent Wong, Mubashir Billah, Mutahar Ahmed. Single-Port Radical Cystectomy: No Incision (video). 41st World Congress of Endourology & Urotechnology (WCET) Seoul, South Korea, Aug 12 - Aug 18.