The clinical relevance of basic science: a surgeon's perspective.

Abstract

Pediatric urology has come a long way since 1970 when I began my career at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. For the first twenty years, efforts were focused on establishing the clinical subspecialty, gaining the respect first of the Pediatric Surgical discipline followed by our urology colleagues. Our Clinical Fellowship Program began in 1976, and we have seeded 25 outstanding products of the division across the country; all but two in academic centers. Although many of our fellows have made significant research contributions, it was apparent that the “new generation” of pediatric urologists should have a solid background in the basic sciences. This credibility will afford them a more effective edge as they move into a major research university so they may better focus a meaningful research enterprise. Our pediatric urology subspecialty must expand the third leg of the tripod: that is, success in basic sciences research - to complement the other two legs - education and clinical practice.KeywordsPediatric UrologySuper BowlDilate Urinary TractClinical SubspecialtyUreteral Smooth MuscleThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.