Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology Fellowship

Overview

The Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology (RSMIOU) Fellowship offers a unique and highly specialized training opportunity for urologists seeking advanced expertise in robotic-assisted surgery, including single-port robotic surgery, and minimally invasive urologic oncology.

Accredited by the Endourological Society, the program is widely recognized as one of the premier fellowships in this field.

The fellowship traces its origins to 1997, when Cleveland Clinic established a dedicated laparoscopic surgery training program. In 2004, under the leadership of Jihad Kaouk, one of the earliest robotic surgery fellowships in the United States was launched. By 2008, the laparoscopic and robotic training pathways were fully integrated, creating a comprehensive fellowship focused on the full spectrum of minimally invasive surgical techniques. Today, the program offers extensive experience in both multiport and single-port robotic surgery across a broad range of complex urologic oncology procedures.

The RSMIOU Fellowship offers two training tracks:

One-year track consisting of one year of intensive clinical training
Two-year program consisting of one year of intensive clinical training followed by an additional year mainly dedicated to research.

The program is designed to develop the next generation of highly skilled, compassionate surgeons who are prepared to deliver exceptional patient care and emerge as leaders in urologic oncology and robotic surgery.

Curriculum

Fellows will be immersed in a dynamic environment, participating in approximately 700 robotic and minimally invasive oncologic cases ranging from routine to complex procedures.

The training program presents a distinctive opportunity for participants to work with world-renowned robotic surgeons, fostering collaboration and hands-on learning in this cutting-edge field. This experience will not only allow the trainees to hone their technical skills but also strengthen their decision-making capabilities.

The research year of the RSMIUO fellowship is a deep dive into scholarly pursuits, offering trainees the opportunity to significantly contribute to the field. With access to a wide array of resources and mentorship, fellows are well-positioned to engage in impactful research activities. Historically, this has resulted in the production of over 20 peer-reviewed publications per fellow.

Fellows also undergo non-Urology comprehensive rotations, encompassing medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and radiology. This multifaceted approach is designed to expand their perspectives and deepen their insights into the various aspects of oncologic patient care.

Moreover, the selected fellows will have the advantage of managing a personal caseload of general urology patients, aligning with their role as limited clinical practitioners at the Cleveland Clinic.

Fellows in our program will gain expertise in a wide range of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Urologic procedures, including but not limited to:
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Partial and Radical Nephrectomy
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Radical Nephroureterectomy
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Partial Cystectomy
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Radical Cystectomy with Intracorporeal Urinary Diversion
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Adrenalectomy
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Renal Transplant and Autotransplant.
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Upper and Lower Urinary Tract Urinary Tract Reconstruction (e.g., Pyeloplasty, Ileal ureter, Ureterocalicostomy, Ureteral reimplantation, Boari flap, bladder diverticulectomy, augmentation cystoplasty, bladder neck reconstruction, Rectourethral fistula repair)
- DaVinci Multiport Robotic-Assisted Simple Prostatectomy
- Hugo Multiport Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
- Single-Port Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (both Extraperitoneal and Transvesical)
- Single Port Lower Anterior Access Kidney Surgery (including Partial Nephrectomy, Radical Nephrectomy, Radical NephroUreterectomy, Pyeloplasty, Ureteral reimplantation)
- Focal therapy for Prostate Cancer (including HIFU, IRE and others)
- MRI-guided transperineal prostate biopsy (including robotic assisted prostate biopsy)

Program Alumni

1997 - Jon Soble (Urology Staff, Montage Health, VA, USA)
1999 - Michael Hobart (Urology Staff, Alberta Urology Institute, Canada
2000 - Stephen J. Savage (Vice Chairman & Director of Urologic Oncologic Fellowship, MUSC, Charleston, SC, USA)
2000 - Jihad Kaouk (Chair, Glickman Urological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2001 - Anoop Meraney (Director of Urologic Oncology, Hartford Healthcare, CT, USA)
2001 - David P. Murphy (Virginia Urology, Richmond, VA, USA)
2002 - Christopher S. Ng (Urology Staff, Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
2003 - Anup Ramani (Urology Staff, Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai, India)
2003 - Dinesh Singh (Director of Laparoscopy & Endourology, Yale, New Haven, CT, USA)
2004 - Antonio Finelli (Head, Division of Urology University Health Network, Toronto, Canada)
2004 - Igor Frank (Urology Staff, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA)
2004 - Ali Moinzaddeh (Chair of Urology, Lahey Hospital Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA)
2004 - Sijo J. Parkattil (Medical Director, Avant Concierge Urology, Winter Green, FL, USA)
2005 - Monish Aron (Co-Director of Robotic Surgery and Advanced Laparoscopy, USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
2005 - Benjamin Chung (Director of Robotic Surgery, Stanford Medicine, CA)
2005 - Nicholas Hegarty (Consultant Urologist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland)
2006 - Jason Hafron (CMO, Michigan Institute of Urology, Royal Oak, MI, USA)
2006 - Robert Stein (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2007 - David Canes (Staff, Lahey Hospital Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA)
2007 - Raj Goel (Chief of Urology, Winsdor Regional Hospital, Canada)
2008 - Brian H. Irwin (Associate Professor of Urology, University of Vermont, VT, USA)
2008 - Wesley M. White (Chair of Urology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA)
2008 - Georges-Pascal Haber (CEO, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE)
2009 - Michael White (Urology Staff, Urology San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA)
2009 - Gregory Spana (Urology Staff, Bayhealth Medical Center, DE)
2009 - Rakesh Khanna (Urology Staff, Providence Health, Everett, WA, USA
2010 - Wahib Isac (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Avon, OH, USA)
2011 - Emad Rizkala (Urology Staff, Hackensack Meridian Health, Old Bridge, NJ, USA)
2011 - Shahab Hillyer (Urology Staff, Kern Medical, Bakersfield, CA, USA)
2012 - Riccardo Autorino (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2012 - Humberto K. Laydner (Urology Staff, Santa Casa de Porto Alegre Hospital, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
2013 - Jayram Krishnan (Urology Staff, New Jersey Urology, Cherry Hill, NJ, USA)
2013 - Homayoun Zargar (Director of Western Urology, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, Australia)
2014 - Daniel Ramirez (Urology Staff, Urology Associates, Nashville, TN, USA)
2014 - Peter Caputo (Urology Staff, Summit Urology Group, Murray, UT, USA)
2015 - Ryan Nelson (Urology Staff, Michigan Institute of Urology, MI)
2015 - Matthew J. Maurice (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Canton, OH, USA)
2016 - Julien Degenais (Urology Staff, AdventHealth, Denver, CO, USA)
2016 - Jeremy Reese (Urology Staff, Aurora Health, Pleasant Prairie, WI, USA)
2017 - Daniel Sagalovich (Urology Staff, Northwell Health, Staten Island, NY, USA)
2017 - Juan Garisto (Director of Urologic Oncology, Weill Cornell NYP Hospital, Brooklyn, NY, USA)
2018 - Mohamed Eltemamy (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2018 - Roger J. Yau (Urology Staff, Urology Specialists of The Carolinas, Matthews, NC, USA)
2019 - Clark Alexander Wilson (Urology Staff, UT Health, Tyler, TX, USA)
2019 - Alireza Aminsharifi (Associate Professor, Penn State Health, Hershey, PA, USA)
2020 - Zeyad R. Schwen (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2020 - Alp Tuna Beksac (Urology Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2021 - Ethan Ferguson (Assistant Professor, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA)
2021 - Aaron Kaviani (Urology Private Practice, Peoria, IL)
2022 - Jaya S. Chavali (Urology Staff, MUSC, Charleston, SC, USA)
2022 - Albert Geskin (Urology Staff, Suburban Urologic Associates, Pittsburgh, PA, USA)
2023 - Carter Mikesell (Urology Staff, San Diego Urology Associates, La Mesa, CA, USA)
2023 - Adriana M. Pedraza (Urology Staff, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA)
2024 - Lin Wang (Clinical Fellow, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)
2024 - Samarpit Rai (Clinical Fellow, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA)

Benefits of Our Program

High-Volume Exposure: Our fellowship offers unparalleled clinical experience, providing fellows with exposure to a significant, wide-reaching number of robotic and minimally invasive procedures.
Advanced Robotic Techniques: Fellows will have the opportunity to learn and perform cutting-edge robotic procedures, including single-port surgeries, promoting innovation and adaptability in the next generation of robotic urologists.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Throughout the program, the fellows will undergo specific clinical rotations with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists. This approach enables a comprehensive understanding of patient care, ensuring a well-rounded and fully integrated learning experience. Additionally, trainees will actively participate in weekly academic activities, including tumor boards and Oncology conferences.
Enhanced training opportunities: Fellows will have the unique privilege of engaging in hands-on experience at our animal lab, overseen by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Additionally, CCF boasts an exceptional Advanced Simulation Center, providing cutting-edge resources for training.
Research opportunities:Fellows in this program will participate in cross-institutional projects, contributing significantly to the evolution of the field. The Cleveland Clinic Urology Department hosts preminenet multicenter registries including
- The Single Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC), which promotes collaborative research among various institutions to propel advancements in single port robotic surgery.
- The ROBotic surgery for Upper tract Urothelial cancer STudy (ROBUUST), which promotes collaborative research among various institutions to propel advancements in the management of upper tract urothelial cancer.
Access to Complimentary Courses: As part of our commitment to empowering aspiring professionals, Cleveland Clinic provides an array of free courses, meticulously curated by our experts. These invaluable resources encompass a wide range of subjects, including the discipline of biostatistics.
Leadership Development: The fellowship fosters leadership skills, encouraging fellows to take on clinical, educational, and research responsibilities, preparing them for future leadership roles in academia or practice.
Networking Opportunities: Fellows will have the chance to interact with experts in the field through national and international conferences, expanding their professional network and promoting fruitful collaborations.
Medical Art Department: Cleveland Clinic takes pride in its distinguished Medical Art Department, home to a team of renowned medical illustrators. By combining artistry with in-depth Urology knowledge, our publications not only meet the highest standards of quality but also become powerful educational tools for Urology practitioners, students, and the broader community.

Meet Our Faculty

Urology

Jihad Kaouk, MD - Department of Urology Chair and Fellowship Program Director
Riccardo Autorino, MD, PhD - Fellowship Program Associate Director
Robert Stein, MD
Carvell Nguyen, MD
Mohamed Eltemamy, MD
Alp T. Beksac, MD
Zeyad R. Schwen, MD
Srinivas Vourganti, MD
Rashed Ghandour, MD

Pathology

Jane Nguyen, MD, PhD - Director, Genitourinary Pathology

Radiation Oncology

Radiology

Andrei Purysko, MD

Research-Focused Fellowship

In addition to the Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology (RSMIOU) Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic offers a dedicated one-year Research Fellowship for both U.S. medical graduates and international medical graduates (IMGs) with a strong interest in robotic surgery, including single-port technology, and minimally invasive urologic oncology.

This non-clinical fellowship provides immersive research experience in a highly collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment. Fellows work closely with clinical fellows and faculty mentors, gaining access to extensive institutional databases and participating in innovative research projects at the forefront of robotics and urologic oncology. Participants are encouraged to present their work at national and international scientific meetings and benefit from a wide range of educational opportunities and complementary courses offered by Cleveland Clinic. Under the guidance of experienced faculty, fellows develop the academic and research skills necessary to make meaningful contributions to the field and to advance their careers as future leaders in robotic surgery and urologic oncology.

Please note that research fellows do not participate in direct patient care.

Interested applicants can contact:

Riccardo Autorino, MD, PhD, FEBU, FACUS
Director, Research Fellowship Program
Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave. Q10
Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
autorir@ccf.org

Melanie Symons
Education Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave. Q10
urologyfellowship@ccf.org

Life in Cleveland

For valuable insights into life in Cleveland, we invite you to explore the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute’s website.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply in their senior resident year (one year prior to graduation) through the Endourological Society.

Contact information

Jihad H. Kaouk, MD
Director, Center for Robotic & Image-Guided Surgery
Fellowship Program Director, Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology
Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave., Q10-1, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
kaoukj@ccf.org

Riccardo Autorino, MD, PhD
Fellowship Program Director, Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology
Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave., Q10-1, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
autorir@ccf.org

Melanie Symons
Education Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute
9500 Euclid Ave., Q10-1, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
urologyfellowship@ccf.org

Robotic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Urologic Oncology Fellowship (RSMIUO)