Dr. Benjamin McCormick, MD trained at University of North Carolina and completed a fellowship in genitourinary injury and reconstructive urology at University of Utah. He joined University of Utah as an assistant professor in October. He will primarily be operating and seeing patients at the main hospital and the ambulatory care center. He will be specializing in gender affirmation surgery and reconstructive urology.
Q: What did you like about the training at University of Utah in reconstructive urology and how did the residency compare to UNC?
What I enjoyed most about fellowship at the University of Utah was the level of patient complexity. As the U has such a large catchment area, I saw patients from all over the mountain west with rare and complex pathology which required critical thinking and teamwork to work through. Then, in the OR, gradually increasing autonomy helped make the transition to an attending as easy as possible. Compared to residency, the focus in fellowship is quite different. No longer is the primary goal to throw every stitch and do as much as possible during the case; rather, gaining the skills to take residents through cases is emphasized, as is the higher-level thinking required to make important decisions intraoperatively.
Q: What aspects of reconstructive urology will you emphasize in your practice?
I’m very passionate about providing excellent care to the trans community, and I find it an honor to be a part of their transition at any stage. There’s a lot of work to do in terms of improving outcomes, and I’m looking forward to pushing the field forward. Secondly, I’d like to offer more minimally invasive and robotic GU reconstruction options at the U. While part of the reason I enjoy reconstruction is the open abdominal aspect, giving patients a minimally invasive option and introducing trainees to diverse surgical approaches are two important facets of a top surgical program.
Q: What are you most excited about in joining the University of Utah? What made you decide to take the position here versus other centers in the US?
My primary reason for joining the University of Utah versus anywhere else was the people. At the U of U, I found a unique combination of incredible mentorship and fun-loving colleagues which makes for the ideal work environment. I’m surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do and are eager to push the envelope of their respective fields - it’s really a thrilling place to be.
Q: You spent some time away after your fellowship was completed, what did you do during that time?
I mostly went places where I had a free place to stay! I have family in Krakow, Poland, and so I started there, and then made my way south through Prague, Munich, and the Austrian Alps. After trekking in the Alps, I took a train to Venice and wandered around Italy for a while, couch surfing with friends and family. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and I came back ready to hit the road running at the U.
Q: Many people enjoy lots of different aspects of life in Utah, what are you most excited about?
I recently acquired a van and I’m outfitting it into a camper. After it has any horizontal surface to sleep on, I plan on taking it around the mountain west biking, canyoneering, and climbing. Also, winter tailgating at Alta is quickly becoming a favorite pastime.