Fellowship in Functional & Reconstructive Urology

Functional & Reconstructive Urology Fellowship

The Functional & Reconstructive Urology Fellowship at the University of �鶹��ý�� School of Medicine is a two-year clinical and research fellowship under the directorship of Brian J. Flynn, MD, Professor of Surgery in the Division of Urology. Dr. Flynn started the fellowship in 2008. The fellowship’s focus is both male and female reconstructive Urology. We are one of the few remaining programs that are committed to training fellows in all aspects of GU reconstruction that includes male and female GU reconstruction. This philosophy originates from “old-school” of reconstruction built by Richard Turner-Warwick, George Webster, and Gerald Jordan.

In 2012, GURS started a match in GU Reconstructive Surgery, and we have participated in the match and have received a letter of good standing each year the GURS match has existed. In 2012, Dr. Ty Higuchi joined the CU reconstructive urology program and brought additional expertise in urethral, penile and neurogenic reconstruction as well as adding transitional urology to the program.

The CU Reconstructive Urology fellowship has been committed to meeting the curriculum standards to a GURS-based curriculum. We consistently perform in the top 50% in the majority of the index cases. Additionally, the GU reconstructive fellowship overlaps partially with what is now known considered FPMRS/SUFU index cases. The fellows do have some flexibility on case selection based on their own individual experience, interest and future job aspirations.

This clinical fellowship includes a graduated experience focusing on GU reconstruction. This includes pre-operative evaluation, intraoperative management and post-operative care. The fellow will be quite familiar with reconstructive surgery of the ureter, bladder, urethra and penis. The fellow will spend 90% of his/her time functioning as a fellow under the directorship of 2-4 faculty members, spending the majority of time with 2 faculty members. The remaining 10% of his/her time will be spent independently. The fellow will have four of his/her own clinics per month and have the ability to schedule minor cases that come from these clinics. The fellow will have 1-2 days per month of research time. This time is flexible based on the fellow’s research interest and productivity. We will support the fellow’s participation at two national meetings per year to present their research activities.

Program Track

Year 1: Research year

Year 2: Clinical - will submit GURS case log

Functional and Reconstructive Urology Fellowship Open House

The Division of Urology holds an annual Open House for potential fellows to meet faculty, hear about the program, and ask questions.

The Open House for the fellowship beginning in July 2026 has now passed.

Prerequisites for Admission

One trainee per year will be accepted into the 2-year fellowship training program. Prerequisites for admission are as follows:

Must be a U.S. or non-U.S. citizen qualified to obtain a full medical license in the State of �鶹��ý��
Complete all 3 steps of USMLE
Completed an accredited Urology Residency program in the United States
Be board-eligible in Urology
Have a letter of support from their Program Director attesting to the successful completion of the urology training program and recommending them for the fellowship
Two additional letters of recommendation are required

There may be an opportunity of a 1-year research fellowship or 1-3 month observerships, especially for international fellows. This will usually require extramural funding. To date, we have had international scholars visit from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China, Korea, Italy, Russia, and Jordan.

Fellowship training in Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery is now determined according to a match process through the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons and the American Urological Association. If you are interested in learning more about the match process, please check out the GURS website at https://www.societygurs.org/gurs/initiatives/fellowship.

Please note: Residents/Fellows in University of �鶹��ý�� training program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the resident/fellow to legally train at the University of �鶹��ý�� School of Medicine.

Fellow Roster

Year	Name	Medical School	Residency	Post-Fellowship
2025-2027	Helen Sun, MD	Case Western Reserve University	Case Western Reserve University
2024-2026	Karen Doersch, MD	Texas A&M	University of Rochester
2023-2025	Rohan Bhalla, MD	Vanderbilt University School of Medicine	Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
2022-2024	Nathaniel D. Coddington, MD	Washington University in St. Louis	University of Texas-Houston	Private Practice Denver, CO
2021-2023	Margaret Higgins, MD	University of Kansas School of Medicine	University of Kentucky
2021-2022	Alexandra Berger Eberhardt, MD	Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University	Brigham and Women's Hospital \| Harvard Medical School	Assistant Professor, Brigham and Women's Hospital \| Harvard Medical School
2019-2021	Kirk D. Redger, MD	University of Kansas School of Medicine	University Hospital - SUNY at Stony Brook	Assistant Professor, University of Kansas
2019-2020	David S. Koslov, MD	The Medical University of Ohio at Toledo	Wake Forest Baptist Health	Private Practice San Bernardino, CA
2018-2019	Humberto G. Villarreal, MD	University of Texas Medical School at Houston	University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio	Assistant Professor, Loma Linda Medical Center
2017-2018	Michael A. Avallone, MD	University of Miami	Medical College of Wisconsin	San Louis Obispo, California Private Practice
2016-2017	Lisa M. Parrillo, MD	Eastern Virginia Medical School	University of Pennsylvania	Meridian, Idaho Private Practice
2015-2016	Stephen A. Blakely, MD	University of Maryland	SUNY Upstate Medical University	SUNY Upstate, Assistant Professor
2014-2015	Kirk M. Anderson, MD	Loma Linda University	Loma Linda University	Sacramento, CA Sutter Health
2013-2014	Andrew P. Windsperger, MD	University of Minnesota	University of Kansas	St. Cloud, Minnesota Private practice
2012-2013	Ketul S. Shah, MD	Univ. of Mumbai, Bombay, India	Ohio State University	Columbus, OH Private practice
2011-2012	Dmitriy Nikolavsky, MD	Wayne State University	Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak, MI	SUNY Upstate, Assistant Professor
2010-2011	David A. Hadley, MD	Loma Linda University	University of Utah	Twin Falls, ID Private practice
2009-2010	Christopher R. Knopick, MD	Northwestern University	Wayne State University	San Francisco, CA Attending – Kaiser
2008-2009	Ryan P. Terlecki, MD	Wayne State University	Wayne State University	Univ. Wake Forest Associate Professor

Program Goals and Content Areas

Learning Objectives

Management of anterior and posterior urethral stricture disease
Male incontinence surgery – AUS, male sling, ProACT
Bladder reconstruction and continent urinary diversion– Augmentation, Mitrofanoff, bladder neck closure, Indiana Pouch
Ureteral reconstruction – Robotic pyeloplasty, re-implant, psoas hitch, ileal ureter
Robotic upper and lower urinary tract reconstruction
Penile reconstruction and prosthetic surgery
Management of neurogenic bladder and voiding Dysfunction – Botox, Sacral NM, iTNS, TURP, PVP, OptBPH, Aquablation
Recto-urethral fistula surgery
Neurourology and Urodynamics
Complex female pelvic medicine – Complications of pelvic surgery vesicovaginal & urethrovaginal fistula surgery, urethral diverticulectomy, surgery for recurrent SUI and POP

Overall Program Goals by Area

Upon completion of this fellowship in Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery, fellows will possess comprehensive knowledge and proficiency in core reconstructive urologic procedures, with specialized expertise in the following areas:

Male Reconstructive Surgery

Urethral Stricture Disease: Proficient in managing urethral strictures, including optilume, urethroplasty and substitution urethroplasty using both local and extra-genital grafts and flaps.
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence: Skilled in managing male stress urinary incontinence, with expertise in artificial urinary sphincter, male sling implantation and ProACT
Fistula Surgery: Adept at managing urethro-cutaneous and rectal-urethral fistulas.

Bladder and Ureteral Reconstruction

Ureteral Reconstruction: Demonstrates knowledge and proficiency in a full array of reconstructive procedures, including ureteral re-implantation, uretero-ureterostomy, transuretero-ureterostomy, ileal uretero substitution, Boari flap, and both open and laparoscopic pyeloplasty.
Bladder Reconstruction: Competent in bladder augmentation, creation of catheterizable urinary stomas, and urinary diversion.

Robotic Reconstructive Urology

Fellows will gain extensive exposure to robotic surgery, with the opportunity to log 50-75 robotic cases in a single year, which is more than double the robotic exposure offered by other GU reconstructive surgery programs. Approximately 25% of these procedures are URPS cases (fistula surgery, RALS, graft removal from the LUT), while the other 50% comprise upper urinary tract reconstruction (ureteral reconstruction and pyeloplasty) and lower urinary tract reconstruction (bladder augmentation, Mitrofanoff, bladder neck closure, cystectomy with urinary diversion). Our program is committed to training fellows in both open and robotic cases, recognizing robotic GU reconstruction as a growing and technically demanding area where Minimally Invasive Urology and FPMRS currently excel, a gap our fellowship aims to bridge.

Complex Female Pelvic Medicine

This fellowship provides exposure to a tertiary URPS practice at the University of �鶹��ý��, encompassing the management of patients with complications from pelvic surgery, fistula, ureteral obstruction, urethral stricture, and recurrent stress incontinence and prolapse. Fellows will participate in both clinic procedures and minor and major surgical interventions.

Research Opportunities: Dive Deep into Urology

As a fellow, you won't just observe; you'll actively drive clinical research, shaping the future of urology. You'll have the exciting opportunity to hand-pick three new or ongoing projects that ignite your curiosity.

Our expectation? By year's end, you'll transform your findings into publishable manuscripts, ready for submission to leading peer-reviewed journals. But your impact won't stop there. You'll also gain invaluable experience presenting your groundbreaking work at both local and national urologic meetings, sharing your discoveries with a broader audience and making your mark on the field. This is your chance to contribute meaningfully to the scientific landscape and establish yourself as an emerging expert.

Summary

The Functional & Reconstructive Urology fellowship offers a comprehensive training experience centered on both major abdominal reconstructive surgery and the intricate reconstruction of the genitourinary tract in patients of all genders, under the guidance of Drs. Flynn and Higuchi's program boasts a high volume of cases, with approximately 1,000 reconstructive procedures performed annually.

A key aspect of the fellowship is the fellow's active participation in these cases, with a specific focus on male reconstruction, where they will be involved in approximately half of the total procedures. This hands-on experience is distributed across various clinical settings: most cases (80%) take place at the University of �鶹��ý�� Hospital, with additional exposure at UCHealth Highlands Ranch (10%) and UCHealth Broomfield (10%).

As a fellow, you will be granted attending privileges, allowing for a significant degree of autonomy and responsibility. This includes managing your clinics, with a schedule of 4 clinics per month. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to serve as the primary surgeon (functioning as staff) on approximately 4-8 cases per month, gaining invaluable experience in independent practice. As the fellowship year progresses, there will be increasing opportunities to function as staff on combined cases, fostering collaborative surgical skills. The program also features a notable number of significant reconstructive cases, particularly in the latter half of the year, with an average of 3-5 such procedures performed monthly, ensuring exposure to complex and challenging scenarios.

Brian J. Flynn, M.D.
Co-Director of UCH Women’s Pelvic Health and Surgery Clinic
Fellowship Director of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery
Professor of Surgery/Urology
University of �鶹��ý�� Denver, Division of Urology
Academic Office One Bldg.
12631 East 17th Ave., Box C319, room L15-5602
Aurora, CO 80045
Academic Office: (303) 724-2712
Fax: (303) 724-2818
E-mail: Brian.Flynn@cuanschutz.edu

How to Apply

Applications for a fellowship position must be submitted through the Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Match through the AUA. Information on the application process can be found at the GURS website at .

In addition to applying online, applicants are required to forward a copy of their GURS application and all supporting documentation via e-mail to the Fellowship Coordinator, Shannon Lamoree at shannon.lamoree@cuanschutz.edu.

CU Deadline: December 31 (1.5 years before the potential start date)

Required documentation includes:

Copy of GURS application (This will be accepted after the deadline of 12/31 or when the application becomes available)
Curriculum Vitae
Medical School Transcripts
One (1) Letter of Recommendation from Residency Program Director
Two (2) Additional Letters of Recommendation

Interviews are typically held in February and March. Please feel free to contact Shannon via email at shannon.lamoree@cuanschutz.edu with questions or to request additional information.

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Tools & Resources

CU Campuses

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Department of Surgery

School of Medicine

Functional & Reconstructive Urology Fellowship

Program Track

Functional and Reconstructive Urology Fellowship Open House

Prerequisites for Admission

Faculty

Fellow Roster

Program Goals and Content Areas

Learning Objectives

Overall Program Goals by Area

Male Reconstructive Surgery

Bladder and Ureteral Reconstruction

Robotic Reconstructive Urology

Complex Female Pelvic Medicine

Research Opportunities: Dive Deep into Urology

Summary

Useful Websites

How to Apply

Surgery

�鶹��ý����

Functional & Reconstructive Urology Fellowship

Program Track

Functional and Reconstructive Urology Fellowship Open House

Prerequisites for Admission

Faculty

Fellow Roster

Program Goals and Content Areas

Useful Websites

How to Apply

Surgery

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