[Removal of andrology from the specialty training programme in urology: a step forward or backward: initial...

Andrology as a medical discipline has developed only recently. In the educational programme of residents in urology knowledge and skills of andrology are well established. But only since 2003 can urologists can become certified subspecialists in andrology. This made andrology much more visible to neighbouring disciplines, e.g. reproductive medicine, as well as to patients searching for well-educated specialist doctors in men's health. Andrology comprises more than infertility; it includes male endocrine disorders, dysfunctions of ejaculation and erections, questions of family planning and the andrological aspects of senescence. These aspects are included in the curriculum for andrology. There are a number of prerequisites of knowledge and skills established that have to be fulfilled by urologists, dermatologists or endocrinologists. Surgical andrological procedures are not included in the German educational programme, but are part of the European curriculum established by consensus of the European Academy of Andrology and the European Association of Andrological Urology of the European Association of Urology (EAU) in 2010. The educational programme is open to urologists and endocrinologists and covers a period of 18 months both in Germany and at the European level, with 6 months acceptable from the training for urology.The relevance of andrologists in IVF centres has been defined since 2006, with andrologists required to be included in the medical setting. According to the data of the General Medical Council of Germany altogether 1,474 andrologists are listed that had finished their certification by the end of 2010. Altogether 124 andrologists are licensed for training. Thus the first result of the subspecialisation of andrology can be evaluated positively. However, ensuring qualified andrological postgraduate training is the duty and the chance for the future of the urological community to maintain and further develop this field of subspecialisation.