Advertise on podcast: AUANews Inside Tract

Dr. Steven Kaplan, founder and director of AUA Innovation Nexus, sits down with Brian Hogan and Britton Garrett to discuss how the AUA Innovation Nexus is driving rapid growth in urologic innovation. From at-home diagnostics to AI and data-driven care, they explore what's transforming the field, what investors value, and key lessons for startup success.

During Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Phil Pierorazio sits down with Dr. Charles Freeman McCluskey, a urology resident whose career was shaped by his own diagnosis of bilateral testicular cancer. He shares his experience navigating early symptoms, misdiagnoses, and urgent treatment during the onset of COVID, and how that journey led him to urology.

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract, Drs. Andrew Harris and Amanda North explore the AUA's new quality improvement brief, reframing burnout as a system-level issue that impacts patient safety—not just physician well-being. They discuss why quick fixes fall short and share practical strategies to restore joy in work through better workflows, team-based solutions, and smarter use of technology.

Developed by the Medical Student Membership Workgroup, the Urology Spotlight Series educates medical students about a particular subspecialty within urology, including common cases and procedures. In this episode, medical student Brandon Noorvash is joined by Dr. Sepehr Nowfar, a general urologist and Medical Director of the Cancer Center of Excellence at Unio Specialty Care - Los Alamitos, for a discussion on the field of general urology.

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract's Igniting Discovery series, AUA's Research Grants Program Sr. Manager, Sarah Gross, speaks with Bryan Pinchuk, founder and CEO of InnoCare Urologics and a winner of the 2025 AUA Innovation Nexus Showcase. Pinchuk shares how his team redesigned the Foley catheter with a safety valve that automatically deflates when accidentally pulled, reducing injury risk for patients and clinicians. He also discusses the inspiration behind the device, the path to FDA clearance, what he learned at AUA Innovation Nexus, and lessons for early-stage medical device innovators. Learn more about Innovation Nexus: https://www.auanexus.org/

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract, Dr. Stacy Tanaka, editor of AUANews, speaks with third-year medical student Allison Meling about their experience participating in the FUTURE in Urology program at the AUA Advocacy Summit. Together, they reflect on the importance of programs that support medical students, build community within the specialty, and empower the next generation of urologists to advocate for patients and the future of the field.

In this episode, Dr. Zach Feuer joins Dr. Andrew Harris, chair of AUA's Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Committee, for a conversation on the implementation of a telehealth-based program for the evaluation of men referred for elevated PSA. They discuss how the implementation of this quality improvement project reduced the time from referral to prostate cancer diagnosis.

Developed by the AUA Residents and Fellows Committee, each episode of the Training Transformed podcast series features an interview with a urology faculty member and resident physician surrounding an innovative facet of resident education at their institution. Tune in for our fifth episode as moderator, Dr. Kayla Graham, chats with Dr. Max Bowman and medical student, Lynn Leng, about their revamped Morbidity & Mortality conference model at the University of California San Francisco.

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract, Global Perspectives, Dr. Kristen Scarpato and Dr. Boyd Viers reflect on their experience in the American Urological Association–European Association of Urology Academic Exchange Program. From operative efficiency and training differences to lasting professional relationships, they share key takeaways from their time in France and Germany, and why global exchange can reinvigorate your career and expand your impact.

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract, Igniting Discovery, Kevin Eisenfrats, CEO of Contraline and 2025 Innovation Nexus Showcase winner, discusses the development of two novel male contraceptives, a daily hormonal gel (NEST) and a long-lasting, reversible implant (ADAM). He shares insights on clinical progress, regulatory strategy, and advice for innovators navigating the urology startup space through the AUA Innovation Nexus program.

In this episode of AUANews Inside Tract, Dr. Ray Tan speaks with Dr. Emilie Johnson, pediatric urologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, about her work as an inaugural recipient of the Urology Care Foundation Bridge Award, supported by Dornier MedTech. Dr. Johnson discusses how the award is sustaining her implementation science research on equitable newborn circumcision care during a critical funding gap, and how user-centered design and global health frameworks are helping translate research into real-world clinical impact.

Developed by the AUA Residents and Fellows Committee, each episode of the Training Transformed podcast series features an interview with a urology faculty member and resident physician surrounding an innovative facet of resident education at their institution. Tune in for our fourth episode as moderator, Dr. Kayla Graham, chats with Dr. Casey Kowalik and Dr. Emily Elliott from the University of Kansas Medical Center about their unique rural urology rotation at Cameron Medical Center.

In this episode of AUA News Inside Tract, Dr. Mark Gonzalgo, professor of urology at the University of Miami and Chair of the AUA Office of Education, speaks with Dr. Rigoberto Pallares-Mendez, attending urologist at Hospital General Tijuana and Hospital Ángeles Tijuana, about his experience as an AUA Exchange Scholar. Dr. Pallares-Mendez shares his path into urology, his passion for robotic surgery, and insights gained from training in Miami. Together, they explore differences between U.S. and Mexican healthcare systems, the importance of mentorship and systems-based practice, and how global exchange programs help elevate patient care across borders.

Join Drs. Minhaj Siddiqui, Kristen Scarpato, and Chad Ritch as they discuss an exciting opportunity to participate in a national quality improvement project sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Cancer Programs to improve timely administration of intravesical chemotherapy post-TURBT (TaPT). Time is limited to engage in this opportunity – the intent to participate in the TaPT Quality Improvement Collaborative is due to the ACS by February 15, 2026. To learn more about the opportunity, visit https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-qi-programs/tapt-national-quality-improvement-project/ and consider advocating with your institution to participate.

What does it take to turn a clinical idea into a scalable medical device? In this AUANews Insight Tract episode, Dr. Hugo Davila and Dr. Raul Storey of Arcus Medical reflect on their experience as participants in the AUA Innovation Nexus Boot Camp. They explore how Nexus connects physicians, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to help overcome common startup challenges, including FDA pathways, IP protection, reimbursement, and investor engagement. Discover how this physician-driven accelerator is transforming urology innovation and enabling founders to bring their ideas from concept to care.