you for an open position or help you navigate how to formally apply.
7.2 Peer Reviewer Opportunities The AUA is always looking for members to serve as volunteer peer reviewers for its world-class journals, including The Journal of Urology®. Learn more about the AUA’s publications and the publishing process by reviewing the work of the most respected urology professionals in the world. Interested in becoming a peer reviewer? Contact Jennifer Regala, AUA Director of Publications/ Executive Editor at jregala@AUAnet.org.
7.3 Additional Opportunities Each year, the AUA Young Urologists Committee hosts a Speed Mentoring program for trainees at the AUA Annual Meeting. The program, which allows for 25 trainees to meet one-on-one with early-career mentors to discuss a variety of topics including life after training, career advice, surgical education, leadership skills and more, recruits volunteer mentors on an annual basis. If you are interested in serving as a mentor at next year’s Speed Mentoring program, please email youngurologists@AUAnet. org. In addition, the Committee also hosts a "Meet the AUA Leaders" program at Annual Meeting, where early-career urologists can network and connect with established leaders within the organization in a small-group, structured setting. Pre-registration for the event opens each year a few months prior to the meeting. In summary, there are numerous opportunities for young urologists to volunteer and get involved in the AUA. Begin by familiarizing yourself with information on the AUA website and reaching out to established AUA leaders or your AUA Section leadership to gain further insights and/or express your interest in volunteering.
8. WORKING WITH ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS (APPs) Content in this section is taken from the AUA’s 2021 “Current State of Advanced Practice Providers in Urologic Practice” paper. The full and most updated version of the paper can be accessed at www.AUAnet.org/guidelines/guidelines/current-state-ofadvanced-practice-providers-in-urologic-practice. A workforce shortage of 65,000 physicians is projected for both primary care and specialty medicine by the year 2025. Similarly, the supply of urologists per capita AUAnet.org
in the United States continues to decrease, a trend that started in 1991 and continues to accelerate. In 2018, there were 3.89 urologists per capita, which is only a modest improvement from 2009, where there were only 3.18 urologists per 100,000 in the population, which was a 30-year low and amongst the most severe specialty medicine shortages. This is compounded by the fact that urology has the second oldest surgical subspecialty workforce with an average age of 52.5 years and of whom greater than 18% are age 65 years or older. As of February 2014, the AUA recognizes APRNs and PAs as Advanced Practice Providers (“APPs”). The term “allied health professional” applies to nurses (registered nurses [RNs], licensed practical nurses [LPNs], and licensed vocational nurses [LVNs]), technicians, and medical assistants. The AUA endorses the use of APPs in the care of patients with genitourinary disease through a formally defined, supervised role with a board-certified urologist under the auspices of applicable state law.
8.1 Defining the Nurse Practitioner (NP) Role “APRN” is a term that covers four distinct areas of certification: certified NP, certified nurse midwife (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). The 2008 APRN regulatory model established these four categories and denoted advanced graduate nursing preparation specific to each of these areas of certification. Each APRN obtains a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) prior to admission to a graduate program, though some students may have additional undergraduate and graduate degrees. The student APRN then undergoes a population-focused but broad-based education at the graduate level and sits for a national certification examination to assess competencies of their specific core and at least one population focus area (such as adultgeriatrics or pediatrics). After passing the certification examination, individuals are licensed as independent practitioners subject to the specific regulation of a state board of nursing. Licensing implies congruence between certification, licensure, and population focus. An APRN cannot be licensed only in a specialty area, such as urology, but must first be certified in one of the four generalist APRN categories. The academic degree granted is either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), a Master of Science (MS), or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP), depending on the individual program. Initial certification requires evidence of degree status and at least 500 hours of clinical practice, although these requirements vary
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