Department of Urology

Welcome to the Academic Home Page for the Department of Urology. Information for patients and the public can be found on the Clinical Home Page.

1112 College Building
1025 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-955-6961

Leonard G. Gomella, MD
Chair, Department of Urology

Dear Friend,

Welcome to our web site that provides an overview of the academic programs of the Department of Urology at Thomas Jefferson University. If you are looking for information about our patient care and clinical programs please visit our Thomas Jefferson University Hospital web site at http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/urology/ .

Jefferson Medical College is the 5th oldest medical school in the United States and has more living graduates than any other medical school in the United States. A 125-bed hospital, one of the first in the nation affiliated with a medical school, opened in 1877. The Department of Urology is one of the oldest in the United States and was established 1904, with 2004 marking our Centennial year. Jefferson has a rich history in urology and we house the “Leonard Frank Jefferson Museum of Urology" located in our academic office at 1025 Walnut Street. To learn more about the historical aspects of Jefferson Urology, see the History tab on this web site.

Our Jefferson full-time faculty includes 11 clinicians, 3 researchers and 4 educationally-focused faculty members. Our affiliate faculty at our outside institutions such as the Pediatric Urology Division at Nemours Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children, our community affiliate located in Bryn Mawr and the Wilmington VA , enhance our overall teaching activities. Our faculty includes internationally recognized experts in all major fields of urology including endourology, laparoscopy, robotics, oncology, female urology, andrology, pediatrics and neurourology. The majority of our Jefferson-based faculty have completed formal fellowships and several faculty members have completed formal fellowship training in either laparoscopic or robotic prostatectomy. An outstanding complement of primary care academic urologists rounds out the clinical educational experience. Many of our clinicians recognized in multiple regional and national "Best Doctors" or "Top Doctors" listings. We also are proud that two faculty members have been elected to the prestigious “American Association of GU Surgeons”.

Our Urology Residency training program is a six-year program with two residents accepted each year through the National Urology Match Program. Our program is fully accredited by the ACGME. We received a full 5-year citation free program renewal in 2008. A formal Endourology/Laparoscopy/Robotics fellowship is available through the Endourology Society matching program. Additional basic science research and oncology fellowship positions are periodically made available. For detailed information on our formal training programs, see the Residency Program tab on this site.

Medical students are incorporated in all aspects of the Department. Students receive formal didactic lectures on a rotating basis during their Surgery rotation and integrate fully into all inpatient, outpatient, operating room, cancer center activities as well as grand rounds and journal clubs. Students may work at the TJUH main campus or at one of our affiliate hospitals. Students from Jefferson Medical College participate as part of the formal surgical program block or can choose to further participate in the Department activities through an IDEPT elective or as acting interns. Outside students are welcomed with approval through Jefferson Medical College registrar's office. Joanna Schultz is our educational coordinator who can assist in student related matters (joanna.schultz@jefferson.edu ).

Our Department features a clinical trials division, a basic science program and state-of-the-art facilities for patient care.  Our Basic Science program occupies lab modules in the Kimmel Cancer Center.  The Departmental basic science emphasis of our lab focuses on genetics and cell signaling in prostate and bladder cancer.  We have a larger network of collaborative investigations that extends throughout the Kimmel Cancer Center. The clinical facilities provide not only outstanding patient care but allow for comprehensive training and features high definition laparoscopy suites, two a DaVinci surgical robots, dedicated endourology suites with digital imaging, an extensive laser and endoscope inventory, cryo and brachytherapy units, two prostate thermotherapy units, a dedicated prostate diagnostic center and inpatient and outpatient UDS facilities. Our conference room has a state-of-the-art Stryker video and telecommunications hub that allows remote access to the OR and long-distance teleconferencing for teaching purposes.  Residents and students participate in our GU Multidisciplinary Cancer Center. This is part of the NCI designated Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson and has been in operation since 1996. The Kimmel Cancer Center is listed as one of the top Cancer Centers by US News and World Report.  New cancer patients are seen here by Urology, Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology, with a management conference held immediately afterwards.

We are very proud of our Department. I invite you to learn more by exploring our academic and clinical web sites further.

Sincerely,

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