Prof. Shahrokh Shariat, an outstanding doctor and scientist from Medical University of Vienna, will have a speech at our Scientific Conference soon. The name of his lecture is What does it take to be a successful physician scientist: Bladder cancer as a model. What can we look forward to? Read the following interview with prof. Shariat.
The lecture will be held on April 20, 10.15 am at Great Lecture Hall.
Shahrokh François Shariat, M.D. is currently professor and chairman of the Department of Urology and Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna General Hospital, Austria. He is also adjunct professor of urology and medical oncology at Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY and adjunct professor of urology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. He has published more than 699 peer-reviewed research papers (h-index: 62; total number of citations: 16320), 84 non-peer-reviewed research papers, and 12 book chapters, is the holder of 4 patents and is the recipient of 74 national and international rewards. He is a member of 24 academic societies and an editorial board member of 26 scientific journals. His research focuses on urologic oncology – molecular mechanisms, markers, early detection, natural history, treatment, translational and outcomes research.
The name of your lecture at our coming Scientific Conference is What does it take to be a successful physician scientist: Bladder cancer as a model. Could you please introduce the main topic of it?
A robust physician-scientist workforce is key to bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and medical practice. Our success in this endeavor relies on recruiting and retaining diverse, talented, and well-trained individuals. We hope you join us and our colleagues in this mission to make this world a better place through innovation and creativity.
What can our students look forward to?
Throughout my career, I've worked in many dynamic environments and have come across so many inspiring people – professors, researchers, clinicians, statesmen and leaders. I've learned something from each of them and in time, have been able to filter all I've assimilated into tips for a successful career as physician research. These tips are not meant to be complete or perfect by any means, but I do hope they'll serve as a road map on your way to defining your own path. With time you will make your own list and improve upon your teachers.
Why have you accepted the invitation to hold a lecture at our Science Conference and what are your connections with our faculty?
The Charles University is a beacon of light in central Europe – in its manifold mission, it encourages research... and the advancement of individual scholars, who by their excellence will advance the sciences they pursue, and the society where they dwell. The vision of this University is global and altruistic. Over the last 10 years, I have come to work with Prof. Marek Babjuk, the chair of the Department of Urology at the Second Faculty of Medicine in Motol, closely on a variety of projects from guidelines, research and international courses. Our collaboration based on a common shared belief that teaching and research go hand in hand – that success in one depends on success in the other – and that a modern health care environment must do both well. Together we believe that sharing our knowledge and discoveries would help make the world a better place. Through him I have met the dean of the Second Faculty, Prof. Vladimír Komárek and his team. I have been impressed by his strong believe in the vision to improve the health of the community by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. Together, this team is well positioned to push the boundaries of discovery, transform health care, advance medical education and create hope. Working together with them is an honor and pleasure.
Is urology popular among medical students or young doctors? Why did you choose it?
There are many reasons to pursue a career in urology. At least seven, in fact:
1) Surgery. This is important. The life and medical practice of the surgeon is very different from the non-surgeon. People going into surgical fields classically mention qualities like enjoying working with their hands, valuing teamwork, and/or wanting to be captain of the ship. Truly, though, it just comes down to a gut feel: do I see myself being in the operating room a day or two a week for the rest of my life or not? If you like surgery, urology has to be on the list of career choices.
2) Broad range of surgeries. The next thing to consider is whether you like the types of surgeries performed by urologists. Urologic surgeries vary greatly from 10-hour cystectomy with neobladder operations to 30-minute vasectomies, circumcisions, or cystoscopies. Thus, one of the most appealing aspects of urology for many people is the wide variety of procedures. Performing the large surgeries (aka ‘big whacks’) early on in your career and tapering to the shorter procedures as you get older is well within reason. Many urologists, especially those in academia, elect to become experts in a particular aspect of urologic surgery, such as kidney surgery, prostate surgery, or penile surgery. Another important advantage of urologic surgeries is the quality and range of preoperative imaging (e.g. cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, pyeloscopy, and urography, along with CT/MR). As a result, each operation begins with a clear objective and plan, and explorative laparotomies have almost no place in urology. This makes for a much more gratifying surgical experience.
3) People. It may seem simplistic to generalize about the types of people who go into a particular specialty, but nearly everybody finds that they tend to fit in with doctors in certain fields and not in others. If you liked the urologists you have worked with, think about what it was you liked about them. Urologists tend to be the ‘friendly, funny, and happy surgeons’. Of course, this is an immense generalization, but there is something to the stereotype. And it is just this stereotype that attracts many medical students into urology. Career choices are often disproportionately influenced by a doctor or two who take a particular interest in a given student. It is therefore important not to place too much weight on one rotation in which you loved/hated your experience. Know, however, that if you thought the urologists were a fun, down-to-earth group of surgeons, you probably had the most common experience. Hey, you'd be laughing a lot of the time, too, if you were dealing with all things urologic all the time.
4) Lifestyle. Although money can't buy love and happiness, anyone choosing a specialty clearly considers their future income and lifestyle. Surgical subspecialties as a whole tend to do very well monetarily, and urology is no exception. The surgical lifestyle does often mean early mornings, but depending on what you are looking for, the work-week can be very much tailored to your desires. In fact, urology allows a much more flexible (and potentially less rigorous) lifestyle than many other surgical specialties – particularly general surgery. This is mostly due to the rarity of urological emergencies, meaning nearly every procedure can be scheduled in advance. What is important is this: there is the option to devote yourself to your work if that is your passion, and if you are looking more for ‘The Good Life’, urology provides that opportunity about as well as any medical field. In addition, know that there is tremendous job availability in urology – the limited number of urologists trained each year puts them in short supply.
5) Research and technology. One large (and growing) branch of surgery not yet mentioned is laparoscopy. For whatever reason, urologists are on the leading edge in laparoscopic surgery. It is now considered standard of care to perform donor nephrectomies laparoscopically, and innovations with laparoscopic prostatectomies and cystectomies are ongoing. In addition, urologists are embracing robotics surgery. At some hospitals, robotic nephrectomies are already being performed. Thus, urologists have taken a leading role in advancing surgical technology – something anyone technically inclined should consider. In a similar vein, there is a booming interest in urologic research. Many urologists feel their field has missed the boat as far as evidenced based medicine goes, as there have not been enough well designed studies to evaluate treatment regimens for common diseases. The upside of this is that there is a tremendous amount of research to be done, both clinical and lab-based, and many residency programs are looking for people interested in furthering this research.
5) Clinic. The majority of urology is practiced in the office setting. Not only can most urologic illnesses be treated medically, but surgical cases come out of clinic. The juxtaposition of clinical and surgical practices is one of the unique aspects of urology. Clinic entails diagnosing urologic diseases, differentiating who needs surgery from who doesn't, initiating medical treatment, and often discussing very personal issues. The opportunity to establish long-term relationships with patients and become an important part of their lives can be a very attractive part of urology for some people. Keep in mind that clinic is the center of nearly every urologic practice.
6) Specialization. Specializing in urology means knowing one field – one body system – inside and out. You are the expert on all things urologic, but relatively useless when it comes to other parts of medicine. Thus, one of the draws of urology for many is the opportunity to take a very focused part of medicine and be an expert in that area. Many internists feel uncomfortable dealing with urologic issues, thus almost everything in the urologic arena gets sent to the urologist. Specialization is an important issue in and of itself, and may not be the right choice for people with a ‘jack of all trades’ mentality.
7) Flexibility within urology. The flip side to the issue of specialization is the fact that, within urology, there many, many facets. Some people decide to sub-specialize within oncology, or transplant, or infertility, or transplants, and some decide to be ‘general’ urologists, with no specific sub-interest. For those who have thought about pediatrics, the decision to pursue a career in pediatric urology does not need to be made until late in residency. The same goes for other sub-specialties. Going into urology therefore allows a great deal of room to figure out what exactly it is that interests you, and you can chose late in residency (i.e. a good four or five years out of medical school) what kind of career you envision for yourself.
Your career and international experience both as a doctor and scientist is very impressive. What would you recommend to medical students or young doctors in case they would like to follow similar path?
Come to the lecture and you will find out.
The lecture will be held on April 20, 10.15 am at Great Lecture Hall.
