Innovate and specialise: A challenge to urologists
Awardees cite the role of flexibility and vision to break new grounds
Violin music from the four female performing artists of the Munich All-Stars greeted yesterday the Opening Ceremony audience of the 31st Annual EAU Congress in Munich with EAU Secretary General Chris Chapple welcoming participants to Europe’s largest annual urology event.
“Nothing would happen without being made to happen,” said Chapple as he cited the efforts of the urological community to sustain new developments and pursue contemporary challenges in medicine. Chapple’s words were echoed by some of the awardees with Prof. Walter Artibani, recipient of the EAU’s highest honour, the Willy Gregoir Award, underscoring the key role of adapting to modern challenges.
“The biggest challenge to urology is to shift from surgical to medical management,” said Artibani shortly before accepting the honour which he said “overwhelmed” him as he knew there are many other people who are more deserving. “If I may advise young urologists, I would encourage them to sub-specialise in areas such as endourology and uro-oncology.”
One of the youngest awardees, Crystal Matula awardee Dr. Alberto Briganti noted the need for young urologists to focus on innovation while adhering to evidence-based practices. “Urology needs to keep on the track of novel discoveries because that would significantly change our practice.”
This year’s awardees are Prof. P. Teillac (FR), who received the EAU Frans Debruyne Life Time Achievement Award, Prof. J.M. Gil-Vernet Vila (ES) winner of the EAU Innovators in Urology Award, Dr. M.Gundeti (US) winner of the EAU Hans Marberger Award, and Dr. J. Pencik (AT) winner of the EAU Prostate Cancer Research Award.
The EAU also granted Honorary Member titles to former EAU Secretary General P-A. Abrahamsson (SE), J. Hosseini (IR), G. Janetschek (AT), M. Marberger (AT), K. Parsons (UK), Y. Sun (CN) and V. Tkachuk (RU).