Shadowing in the UW Department of Urology can be a very valuable experience. The Department of Urology has different requirements for undergraduate students, graduate students, medical students, and external visitors looking for the opportunity to shadow our surgeons.
Due to limited capacity, the shadowing program can only offer 15 total observer slots during the three yearly shadowing timeframes. If you apply after this quota is reached, you are encouraged to apply for another session timeframe or look for shadowing opportunities in other departments.
Review this webpage for critical information on Department of Urology Shadowing. Note: this program does NOT set up shadowing for other departments at UW Health beyond the Department of Urology.
Application Dates and Deadlines for OR or Clinic Shadowing
Undergraduate and Graduate Students
(Does not apply to UWSMPH medical students)
- Fall Semester Application Due Date: August 1
- Spring Semester Application Due Date: December 1
- Summer Semester Application Due Date: April 1
If you are interested in shadowing in clinic or the operating room, please complete the Department of Urology Shadowing Request Form by the deadlines listed above. The Department of Urology education team will notify students of their shadowing application decisions and/or assignments within one month of the application deadline. Students must respond to their offer within 48 hours of notification, or it will be rescinded and offered to another student.
UWSMPH Medical Students
As a UWSMPH medical student, you are eligible to shadow in the operating room and clinic. Please fill out this interest survey if you are interested in shadowing within the Department of Urology so we can pair you with one of our faculty physicians.
A shadowing offer does not guarantee shadowing approval. All observers have to be subsequently approved through UW Health surgical services and vendor liaison offices.
The department currently offers two shadowing tracks, clinic and OR, and requirements for eligibility are outlined below.
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Operating Room Shadowing Eligibility
OPERATING ROOM SHADOWING ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to shadow faculty surgeons in the OR, an interested student must be an upperclassman upperclassman (Junior or higher) undergraduate student on campus or a UWSMPH Medical Student. To receive full consideration, undergraduate students will need to provide their current CV, a cover letter indicating their interest in the surgical field and shadowing in the Department of Urology, possess a GPA of at least 3.7, and list relevant coursework taken, if any. Special considerations may be made for graduate students and undergraduate students who are doing research within the Department of Urology.
Shadowing in the OR is available weekdays Monday – Friday from 7 am – 5 pm. Shadowing availability will either be a full day or a half day within this time frame.
As a UWSMPH medical student, you are eligible to shadow in the OR and do not need to complete UWHC paperwork, but you are required to complete this interest survey and review the OR Training documents that will be sent via email by the education team.
If you are interested in shadowing in the OR:
- Complete the Department of Urology Shadowing Request Form.
- The Department of Urology education team will notify applicants of their shadowing decisions and/or assignments within one month of the application deadline.
- After approval, the education team will submit the shadowing request through the UW Health Vendor Liaison Office.
- The education team will be in contact with OR Training documents that need to be reviewed and confirm dates for shadowing.
- At least 2 weeks before observation is to begin, the observer applicant will drop off, mail, fax or email completed forms to the Vendor Liaison Office. The Vendor Liaison Office will be in contact with both the sponsor and the applicant in order to facilitate the observation.
- Prior to observation and after all forms have been submitted, the observer will report to the Vendor Liaison Office for identification verification and to receive a badge. The observer must present a driver’s license or other valid, government-issued identification. The identification badge must be worn at all times and returned to the Vendor Liaison Office after completing the observation.
If you need help facilitating an OR shadowing experience please reach out to the education team members listed below.
Clinic Shadowing Eligibility
CLINIC SHADOWING ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to shadow faculty surgeons in clinic, an interested student must be 18 years of age or have some affiliation with the University of Wisconsin or a UW faculty surgeon.
Interested Clinic Observers:
Undergraduate students, medical students, and external visitors all have the opportunity to shadow surgeons in clinic.
Shadowing in clinic is available weekdays Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm and it is ideal if students have full half-days available for these experiences: 8am-12pm or 12pm-4pm are preferable.
In order to shadow a Department of Urology faculty member in the outpatient clinic, an interested student must be at least 18 years of age or have some affiliation with the University of Wisconsin or a UW faculty surgeon.
As a UWSMPH medical student, you are eligible to shadow in the clinic without completed additional paperwork.
If you are interested in shadowing in clinic:
- Complete the Department of Urology Shadowing Request Form.
- The Department of Urology education team will notify applicants of their shadowing decisions and/or assignments within one month of the application deadline.
- After approval, the education team will submit the shadowing request through the UW Health Vendor Liaison Office.
- The education team will reach out to confirm dates for shadowing.
- At least 2 weeks before observation is to begin, the observer applicant will drop off, mail, fax or email completed forms to the Vendor Liaison Office. The Vendor Liaison Office will be in contact with both the sponsor and the applicant in order to facilitate the observation.
- Prior to observation and after all forms have been submitted, the observer will report to the Vendor Liaison Office for identification verification and to receive a The observer must present a driver’s license or other valid, government-issued identification. The identification badge must be worn at all times and returned to the Vendor Liaison Office after completing the observation.If you need help facilitating a clinic shadowing experience for please reach out to the education team members listed below.
UW Health Employees Shadowing Eligibility
UW HEALTH EMPLOYEES SHADOWING ELIGIBILITY
The Department of Urology does not set up UW Health employee observations of surgeons. Please refer to U-Connect’s Prospective UW Health Observer Overview for more information about shadowing a surgeon as a UW Health employee.