Trainee Report: Canadian Senior Urology Residents Retreat 2025

As announced earlier this year, a number of USANZ Trainees were selected to attend an international training meeting. This opportunity is enabled through partnerships between USANZ and the European Association of Urology (EAU), Canadian Urological Association (CUA), and Urological Association of Asia (UAA), with the generous support of Ipsen contributing to travel costs.

As one of the recipients of the International Trainee Exchange Program, Matt Farag attended the Canadian Senior Urology Residents Retreat and CUA Annual Meeting, held in Ottawa from 27-29 June 2025.

Matt has since provided USANZ with a report of his travels which we are delighted to share with Members below. 

Report: Canadian Senior Urology Residents Retreat and CUA Annual Meeting 2025

Attending the CSUR (Senior Urology Residents Education Day) and the Canadian Urological Association’s annual meeting in Ottawa was one of the absolute highlights of my training. I was fortunate to attend thanks to the generous support of USANZ and sponsorship from IPSEN, and it honestly came at the perfect time—right after finishing my fellowship exam. After such an intense period of study and assessment, the chance to immerse myself in learning again, but in such a collegial and stimulating environment, felt both rewarding and refreshing.

The senior residents’ program was packed with high-yield sessions that hit the sweet spot between exam-level detail and real-world clinical practice. I remember sitting in one of the lectures on complex stone disease and thinking, “I wish I’d heard this six months ago!” The speakers had a way of breaking down difficult topics and linking them back to cases we see every day. The discussions between residents were just as valuable—there was a sense that everyone was there to share, challenge, and support one another. Even though the Canadian residents were still gearing up for their fellowship exams, the content also felt like a brilliant refresher for me, helping cement the knowledge I’d worked so hard for.

Outside the lectures, the meeting gave me the kind of experiences you can’t get from textbooks. Ottawa itself was a beautiful setting—the Canadian capital, full of history, green spaces, and on that week, perfect summery weather. The city seemed to come alive in the evenings, and the social events built into the program were genuinely special. One evening we were hosted at the National Gallery. I’ll admit, I probably spent more time admiring the views over the Ottawa River with a glass of wine in hand than I did studying the art, but it was such a unique backdrop for conversations that went from light-hearted travel stories to serious discussions about the future of urology. Another night at the Canadian Museum felt equally surreal—you don’t expect to be talking about robotic prostatectomy while standing under the skeleton of a massive dinosaur, but somehow it worked perfectly.

What stood out to me most were the people. The Canadian residents and faculty were unbelievably welcoming. Despite being from the other side of the world, I never once felt like an outsider. In fact, I was struck by how much we had in common. We compared the quirks of our training systems, laughed about the universal chaos of night shifts, and swapped stories about difficult cases that had shaped us as trainees. One Canadian colleague told me about his rotation in a tiny northern community where the hospital doubled as the town’s social hub—I remember thinking how similar that sounded to some of the rural placements I’d done in Australia. Those conversations weren’t just interesting; they reminded me how shared our journey really is, no matter the country.

On a personal level, the friendships I formed during the week were just as valuable as the academic content. A group of us ended up renting bikes one morning and cycling along the Rideau Canal before the sessions started—a spontaneous plan that turned into one of my fondest memories of the trip. There was a sense of camaraderie that I know will last; several of us have stayed in touch, exchanging messages and even planning to catch up at future international meetings.

Even the logistics were handled so thoughtfully. The Canadian training committee went out of their way to make sure visiting trainees felt comfortable, from the travel arrangements to the flexibility with schedules. It turned what could have been a daunting long-haul journey into a seamless and genuinely enjoyable experience. Looking back, the CSUR and CUA meeting wasn’t just another conference. It was a celebration of everything that makes urology such a special field—intellectually stimulating, collaborative, and full of people who are passionate about what they do. For me, as a final-year trainee, it felt like both a reward and an inspiration. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has the chance to go: not only will you learn a lot, but you’ll also come away with memories, connections, and stories that will stay with you long after the sessions end.

Finally, again I would like to express my sincere gratitude to USANZ  and Ipsen for their sponsorship, which allowed me to be part of this fantastic experience. I look forward to attending future conferences and continuing to build on the knowledge and relationships gained from this year’s CUA!

 

USANZ thanks Matt for preparing this report and photos, and Ipsen for their support of the International Trainee Exchange Program.