Although most urologists in private practice are generalists and see a spectrum of diseases ranging from benign prostatic enlargement (BPH), stones, incontinence, and cancer, there are recognized areas of subspecialization within urology especially at the academic centers and in large group practices. These include urologic oncology, pediatric urology, stone disease, infertility, impotence, female urology and incontinence, and laparoscopy.
There are clinical fellowships in the following fields that are from one- to-three-years long. A fellowship appointment requires completion of an accredited residency program. Residencies in urology include one or two years of general surgery followed by three or four years of urology with a total length of five to six years. Many programs also include six months to a year of research time, and there are well-established basic science research fellowships through the National Institutes of Health and through the American Foundation for Urologic Disease (AFUD). Urologists are within the top five paid careers in the medical field. Their annual income ranges anywhere between