What is a Urologist?
Your guide to urological specialists, procedures, and treatments
A urologist is a physician who specializes in conditions affecting the urinary tract in both men and women, as well as the male reproductive system. After medical school, urologists complete a five to six-year residency that includes general surgical training followed by focused urologic surgery. Many then pursue fellowship training in a subspecialty like urologic oncology, female pelvic medicine, pediatric urology, male infertility, or endourology (minimally invasive stone and tumor procedures).
Urology is one of the few specialties that spans both medical management and surgery across a wide patient population. Urologists treat newborns with congenital abnormalities, young adults with kidney stones, women with pelvic floor dysfunction, and older men with prostate conditions. The diversity of the patient base and the range of conditions make it a broad surgical specialty despite its focused anatomy.
What does a urologist treat?
The list is long. Kidney stones, urinary tract infections, bladder control problems (incontinence and overactive bladder), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), erectile dysfunction, male infertility, and urologic cancers — including prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancer — all fall under a urologist's scope.
Prostate cancer alone makes urology one of the most common surgical referrals in the country. It's the second most common cancer in American men, with roughly 300,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Urologists manage the full spectrum of prostate care, from PSA screening and biopsy through active surveillance, robotic-assisted prostatectomy, and coordination with radiation oncology.
On the procedural side, urologists perform cystoscopies, vasectomies, kidney stone lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, bladder sling procedures, and complex cancer resections. Robotic surgery has become standard for many urologic operations, particularly prostatectomies and partial nephrectomies, allowing for greater precision and shorter recovery.
If you're experiencing urinary symptoms, have been referred for a prostate concern, or need evaluation for kidney stones, you can find a urologist near you through our directory.
If you're searching for expert care for a urologic or pelvic floor concern, chat with us to find a urologist near you.