Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become an Urologist

Official title: Urologists

Also called: Acute Care Physician, MD (Medical Doctor), Owner, Physician, Practicing Urologist, Surgeon, Urologic Surgeon, Urologist, Urology MD (Urology Medical Doctor)

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and the renal glands.

Main tasks

Diagnose or treat diseases or disorders of genitourinary organs and tracts including erectile dysfunction (ED), infertility, incontinence, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, urethral stones, or premature ejaculation.
Examine patients using equipment, such as radiograph (x-ray) machines or fluoroscopes, to determine the nature and extent of disorder or injury.
Order and interpret the results of diagnostic tests, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening, to detect prostate cancer.
Document or review patients' histories.
Prescribe or administer antibiotics, antiseptics, or compresses to treat infection or injury.
Treat urologic disorders using alternatives to traditional surgery such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, laparoscopy, or laser techniques.
Provide urology consultation to physicians or other health care professionals.
Treat lower urinary tract dysfunctions using equipment such as diathermy machines, catheters, cystoscopes, or radium emanation tubes.

How to become one

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 47 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $265,930 a year The middle half earn $102,930 to $378,770.
About 367,400 people work in this job now, and about 380,100 are projected by 2035. (+3.4%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Urologist?

How much does an Urologist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $265,930 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $102,930 to $378,770.

Is an Urologist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 367,400 to about 380,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Urologist?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Urologist?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.