Certification Subspecialty Centres

A diversified specialty
Like most medical specialities, urology has become more advanced, diversified and technically demanding, and over the years urology has branched into several subspecialties such as prostate cancer, neuro-urology stone treatment and many others. Since not all urological disorders can be successfully treated in a medical institution and with the wide range of various techniques not available or taught in every department this has led to the emergence of subspecialised medical centres.

Subspecialty centre certification: A mark of excellence
A European Board of Urology (EBU) -certified subspecialty centre is a European institution that has received official EBU endorsement. Centres that are EBU-certified provide all relevant treatments for a certain disorder and consistently maintain high quality in all treatment modalities. This mark of excellence cannot be granted to a centre which has proficiency in only a certain technique. Moreover, the centre has to be updated on the latest research developments, takes a pro-active part in the international debate and has the resources to perform its own research studies on the subspecialty it focuses on. Significantly, the centre shows commitment in sharing expertise and skills by way of offering post-graduate training programmes such as fellowship grants which may deal on a specific technique.

Fellowship Programme
A Fellowship Programme in an EBU-certified subspecialty centre must be a post-graduate programme wherein the potential candidate is a qualified urologist aiming for a deeper understanding of, knowledge and skill in a certain sub-specialty. If the programme, which should last for a minimum of three months, is focused on a certain technique, the fellow, after completing the programme, should have the proven ability to implement and adapt the acquired knowledge and skills in a wider context.

A fellowship programme aims to provide a systematic understanding of the subspecialty and its practices, including research proficiency. Prospective applicants are required to submit a written description, based on a given template, of the programme. The description should clearly state the general aim, specific goals and the various methods involved in completing the fellowship. 

Criteria and requirements
For sub-specialty certification, the EBU’s Urological Training Programme Committee (UTPC) has identified four areas in which a subspecialised centre should demonstrate the required expertise. The main areas with the corresponding qualities are:)

Institutional organisation and performance
The centre should have an adequate number of cases to maintain a high level of results and pursue research and clinical studies on a specific topic. Results achieved by the centre should be on par with other international high-performing institutions. Furthermore, the centre should have at least two consultants who are experts, and a dedicated staff in the sub-specialty. Resources and a strategic plan to offer post-graduate teaching of a special proficiency, which cannot be attained at a standard urological department, should be available. Moreover, the centre provides care to an adequate number and variety of patients for it to offer a comprehensive and practical training in the given specialty.

Facilities and resources
The centre is equipped with all adequate technical equipment and updated routines that enable it to be thoroughly capable in offering relevant developments in the specialty. Moreover, the centre must have ready access to supporting specialties and other resources needed to run its operations in a modern and professional manner.

If there are several treatment modalities for a certain kind of disease or diagnose, it is preferable that all these modalities are available at the centre. In case this capacity is lacking, the centre must have good knowledge of all relevant treatment modalities and a functioning collaboration with another centre within the same hospital/institute where these modalities are available.

Research and clinical studies
The centre should stay updated on national and international research being done on the specialty.  Not only does the centre take a dynamic role in the international debate regarding the specialty, it also performs its own research/studies.

Fellowship programme
A fellowship programme including surgical training or other types of manual skills must offer good and adequate hands-on training. When needed, the host centre should also extend assistance to the applicant in obtaining the certificates required to perform hands-on training. For a fellowship that also includes practical training on operative skills, no more than one fellow per supervising consultant should be accepted at the same time. If the centre trains urology residents, there should be no more than one resident and one fellow for every supervising consultant.

Certification process
Certification, granted for five years, is based on information collected during the application period and on a one-day site visit of the department. Areas to be evalu­ated include the educational programme, supervising staff, department facilities, and how the educational programme is implemented with regards to the department’s goals, the educational climate and the clinical and theoretical training.

The site visit is carried out by two UTPC members coming from two European coun­tries and not from the country where the application originates to ensure impartial­ity. Based on the site visit report which has been discussed by the UTPC certification is granted.

Application procedure
In these documents you will find more information about EBU Sub-Specialty Centre Certification:

When applying for Sub-Specialty Certification, please make sure you submit all the documents listed below:

Submission of (copies) of the following documents is optional/upon availability; statistics need to be based on an adequate number of patients:

  • Follow-up protocols 2007-2009
  • Follow-up protocols for failures or complications 2007-2009