AUA to Focus on Inclusive Care, Robotic Surgeries, and Future of Urology at 2024 Annual Meeting

The American Urological Association (AUA) 2024 Annual Meeting will take place later this week, May 3-6, in San Antonio, Texas. The meeting is set to include dynamic plenary sessions, educational offerings for urologists, and conversations around state-of-the-art treatments and international health initiatives.

To kick off the first day of the meeting, attendees of the Friday morning plenary can expect a session filled with panel discussions addressing challenging cases, such as upper tract urothelial carcinoma in a 49-year-old woman and biochemical recurrence after local therapy in a 55-year-old male, as well as a crossfire debate on the choice between an ileal conduit and neobladder in a 68-year-old man. Additionally, expert panels will delve into risk stratification, management strategies, and state-of-the-art lectures on prostate cancer screening in high-risk groups and salvage therapy. Attendees can also gain insights into paradigm-shifting clinical trials, exploring innovative treatments for various urological conditions that hope to shape future practice in the field.

Following this plenary session, the rest of day 1 includes a diverse array of sessions catering to the multifaceted interests and needs of attendees, including the Challenges for Urologic Research Symposium, which will focus on the lifelong care of patients with congenital urological conditions and exploring patient-centered methodologies. Meanwhile, the FUTURE in Urology Program offers residents a platform for discussions on resident education and modern urology practice. The day continues with sessions covering clinical trials in progress, forums on the history of urology, and the Residents Bowl.

Day 2 kicks off with the Urologic Care for the Advanced Practice Provider session, offering a comprehensive exploration of topics relevant to advanced practice providers, ranging from consults and emergencies to oncology and professional development. The Young Urologists Forum provides early-career professionals with insights into workforce changes, job satisfaction, and career development, with peer-led discussions on personal career planning. The day also features sessions highlighting the art of persuasion and showcasing innovative robotic procedures. Additionally, forums delve into patient perspectives, independent practice research, and quality improvement initiatives, underscoring the conference's commitment to advancing urological care and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Recent innovations and future trends in urology will be highlighted at the AUA 2024 Annual Meeting | Image credit: Gennady Danilkin – stock.adobe.com

Day 3 of the meeting will start with discussions and lectures on the latest treatments for prostate cancer, as well as forums exploring spatial biology in urologic diseases. Meanwhile, the Urologic Care for the Advanced Practice Provider program will provide education for both novice and experienced providers. Clinical trials in progress for bladder cancer and prostate cancer will also be discussed, highlighting ongoing research efforts to improve treatment outcomes. The day is set to conclude with industry symposiums focusing on genetic and biomarker testing in advanced prostate cancer and treatment approaches for high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, providing valuable insights into evolving treatment paradigms.

To wrap all these important conversations up, the final day of the AUA 2024 Annual Meeting will include an AUA business meeting as well as a 3-hour long forum on the key takeaways of the meeting led by Jay A. Motola, MD, FACS, an associate professor of Urology at NYU Langone and member elect of the AUA board of directors.

Overall, the AUA 2024 Annual Meeting will highlight not only what is happening currently in the urology space, but what the future of urology might look like. Sessions like the Urologic Oncology Research Symposium will explore the role of implementation science in shaping urologic oncology's future. Meanwhile, other forums will tackle topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as advancements in robotic surgery and novel therapies for various urological conditions. The meeting also includes discussions on next-generation immunotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and global health initiatives, reflecting the conference's dedication to advancing urological care globally, as well as data symposiums and discussions on innovations in men's health to provide attendees with insights into the future landscape of urology practice and research.

Aside from these important forums, the AUA 2024 Annual Meeting will include a large array of poster and podium sessions, hands-on skills training, product theaters, instructional courses, and much more.

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