Current Perspectives of Urology Involvement in Renal Transplantation: A Survey of Canadian Senior Residents.

INTRODUCTION

The role of urology in renal transplantation has become increasingly variable with the growth of multiorgan transplant programs. We examined the involvement of urology in renal transplantation across Canada and the perceptions of urology residents.

METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire was administered to all final year Canadian urology residents. The survey was devised to assess urological involvement and resident exposure to renal transplant. Responses were closed-ended and used a validated 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square test were used to analyze the responses.

RESULTS

Urologists were involved in renal transplants at 77.4% of training centers in Canada. Most residents believed that urology should remain highly involved with transplantation (77.4%) and that it should be a mandatory component of residency (64.5%). However, only half of the residents (51.6%) believed they had sufficient exposure to transplantation. Only 41.9% would be comfortable performing a transplant after residency. A minority of residents had plans for fellowship training (9.7%) or future careers (12.9%) involving renal transplant. There was a positive correlation between the involvement of urology in transplantation at a resident's training center and the opinion that urology should have an important role in this field (r=0.51, p=0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Renal transplantation remains a limited component of the majority of residency programs in Canada. However, only a small number of residents intend to pursue fellowship training or a future career that involves transplantation. Consequently, a strong exposure to transplantation during residency is vital to ensuring that urology remains highly involved in renal transplantation.