Burnout in urology isn’t a talking point anymore — it’s the dominant lived experience. In 2022, a study by the Department of Labor ranked urologist as the most stressful of the 873 jobs they evaluated.
For years, urologists have carried the weight of impossible clinic schedules, full OR days, countless phone calls from the ER, RVU quotas, inbox overload, and administrative bloat. Even the “solutions” offered by large systems — more scribes, more APP supervision, more meetings — somehow make life worse.
But something profound has shifted.
Across the country, urologists are discovering a new career path that blends the freedom of locums, the stability of a team, and the flexibility of telemedicine. It’s a model that lets you practice at the top of your training — without sacrificing your sanity, personal life, or autonomy.
This is the Hybrid Urology Locums + TeleUrology Model, and it’s the first meaningful escape from burnout our specialty has seen in decades.
Why Traditional Locums Isn’t Enough Anymore
Locums has always been the pressure valve for burned-out specialists. But talk to enough urologists and a clear pattern emerges:
- Constant travel wears you down
- You’re always the outsider
- Documentation varies wildly between sites
- OR access is hit-or-miss
- There’s no continuity — with patients or colleagues
- And you’re always one contract away from uncertainty
Locums gives you freedom, yes — but also instability, loneliness, and unpredictability.
Most urologists don’t actually want to leave medicine. They just want medicine to stop crushing their spirit.
The hybrid model finally bridges that gap.
The Hybrid Urology Model: Autonomy Without Isolation
Imagine working 2-3 days a week from home:
- Teaching nurse practitioners and PAs.
- Reviewing imaging and labs without the charting.
- Providing specialty input to rural care teams.
- Offering high-value consults that change patient lives instantly.
- Closing your computer and truly being done with your work day.
And then, when you choose, you travel to a partner hospital for:
- Elective surgical days
- High-efficiency procedures
- Targeted clinic blocks
- One-week locums-style coverage
You’re not trapped in OR boards, system politics, or corporate medicine.
You’re not fully isolated like a pure telemedicine role.
Instead, you get:
- Autonomy of a contractor
- Purpose of meaningful clinical and surgical work
- Flexibility of a remote schedule
- Stability of being part of a real team
This is the “third path” that urology has been missing.
Why This Model Is Ending Burnout for Urologists
1. You Control Your Schedule
You choose when you’re available.
You choose your travel cadence.
For the first time, your career revolves around your life — not the other way around.
2. You Do High-Value Work — Not Admin Tasks
No endless meetings.
No meaningless committees.
No inbox chaos.
No RVU quotas.
No system politics.
Just patients. Just your craft. Just your expertise.
3. You Can Live Anywhere
This is the piece that changes everything.
Mountains. Oceans. Your kids’ school district. Near aging parents. A different state every year.
Your zip code no longer dictates your urology career.
Live where you want but practice medicine where you are needed.
4. Rural Patients Get Access — And You Get Purpose
Rural communities are drowning without urology care:
4–6 month waits.
No local surgeons.
Patients forced to travel hours for basic procedures.
With this hybrid model, you can change that — without relocating.
Urologists repeatedly tell us:
“Serving rural patients gave me my sense of purpose back.”
Purpose heals burnout in a way no salary increase ever will.
The Unexpected Benefit: You Start to Love Urology Again
Something remarkable happens when you take away:
- RVUs
- OR politics
- Hospital bureaucracy
- Corporate pressure
- In-box abuse
- Administrators dictating care
Urologists rediscover why they chose this specialty in the first place.
You get to be a problem-solver again, not a production machine.
Is the Hybrid Model Right for You? A Quick Self-Check
Ask yourself:
- Am I tired of being controlled by a system that doesn’t understand me?
- Am I good at urology but exhausted by everything around urology?
- Do I want more time for family, hobbies, and life outside the hospital?
- Do I want to help patients who truly need me?
- Do I want freedom without having to start a private practice?
If you answered “yes” to even one of these…
You owe it to yourself to explore the hybrid path.
A Better Way to Practice Is Finally Here
This isn’t a fantasy.
This isn’t a trend.
This is the new reality of modern urology.
And for burned-out urologists, it’s the clearest path back to joy, autonomy, and purpose.
If you’re curious what your career could look like inside this model — or want to explore opportunities without commitment — we’re here to talk.
Your career can be redesigned.
Your burnout is reversible.
Your freedom is closer than you think.
🔥 Ready to Reclaim Control of Your Urology Career? Join VirtuCare.
At VirtuCare, we partner with top-tier urologists who want autonomy, balance, excellent pay, and the freedom to live anywhere — all while making a life-changing impact on rural patients who need you most.
Whether you’re curious, exploring options, or ready for a transformation:
👉 Apply to join our urology team here.
👉 Or email Dr. Joe Pazona directly at:
[email protected]
No recruiters.
No pressure.
Just transparent conversation and real options.
A better way to practice urology is here — and it’s waiting for you.
