B. MORE ABOUT ACADEMIA

B.1 Time Allocation

Employees in an academic system are responsible for one “full-time equivalent” (FTE) position. How this time is allocated depends on your academic interests and the ability of your employer to provide what amounts to salary support in non-clinical domains. The default position is usually 100% clinical (i.e., 1.0 FTE for clinical work). If you are interested in developing a research career, the time for research is ultimately covered by funded grant support. It is not uncommon to be offered non-clinical “protected time” to get your research off the ground (up to 50% or 0.5 FTE in some places) when first starting. Be aware that this time usually has a clock associated with it (1-3 years), at the end of which the time will go away. If it does, you will probably be expected to cover the remainder of your time with clinical work if you have not attained grant support. For more on research as career, see Appendix C. There are additional ways to receive time for non-clinical work in the domains of education and administration. Urology residency Program Directors (PDs), for example, have a demanding job and their clinical productivity requirements/targets can be decreased by 20%. In fact, the ACGME mandates 0.2 FTE to fulfill the responsibilities of a PD. Similarly, Division Chiefs or Department Chairs have non-clinical time allocated to complete administrative responsibilities. PD's may have one or more Assistant Program Directors (APD) who could also ask for protected administrative time.

B.2 Academic Tracks

In most systems, you will enter your first academic position as an Assistant Professor. The first decision to be made is whether you will pursue a tenure track or a non-tenure track position. The vast majority of urologists coming out of training will be offered non-tenure track jobs. While a full discussion of tenure is beyond the scope of this section, suffice it to say that most urologists will be expected to focus on clinical productivity (even in academics) rather than the types of academic pursuits that typically result in tenure. Within the non-tenure track position, there are a number of different tracks that determine how you will be promoted (e.g., from assistant to associate and from associate to full professor). These vary widely from institution to institution. Try to get a sense of what these tracks entail during your interview and certainly early in your employment so that you know what will qualify you for promotion. Generally speaking, promotion to associate professor requires demonstrating evidence of publication or program development in a given subject area along with development of a regional reputation (as evidenced by invited talks or patient referral base).

B.3 Early Academic Career

Asking a hundred urologists would likely net you a hundred different answers to this question: what should I do early in my academic career? This is because every academic environment has its own nuances and “success” is measured differently from individual to individual and institution to institution. However, it is difficult to imagine having a successful career as an academic urologist without first taking superb care of patients. The first couple years of independent practice are daunting for even the most confident of young urologists. It can be easy to get caught up in the multitude of competing interests vying for your time. Let the patients be your rudder and take excellent care of them. If you find yourself interested in a certain clinical discipline (e.g., robotics), target extra-mural activities within your hospital, local/regional society, and even the national society that are in line with your interests (e.g., hospital robotic steering committee, moderator/ scientific program coordinator for your AUA Section meeting, or AUA national committees that are relevant to robotics). Activities such as these will help you get your name recognized. While you have accomplished a ton throughout four years of undergraduate studies, four years of medical school, 5-6 years of residency and a 1-2 year fellowship, remember: no one knows who you are. Another way to “get your name out there” is to join a hospital governance committee or policy committee. However, if you commit to doing something, make sure that it gets done. Do not overcommit. If you don’t have the bandwidth to do something, it is better to say “no” than to make commitments you cannot fulfill in a timely and high quality manner. Mentorship is critical in order to navigate the complex systems of academia, large hospital systems and societies. Ideally, you should have a mentor within your academic department and an external local mentor to help provide you with a non-urologic perspective of both local academic and hospital matters. Relying on mentors within your subspecialty will be critical for navigating your respective society. Be sensitive of your mentor’s time. You should have a good sense of what your mentor can provide you