Case Study -
Masters Degree in Urology

Mr Gurung was brought up in Nepal and qualified in medicine at Guangxi Medical University in China. He has been working as a Urology Associate Specialist at Noble’s Hospital for nearly seven years.

He says: ‘If you love your job, you enjoy it and I love my job. It makes a difference, I think. Especially when you’ve got a nice place to come to.’

His enthusiasm for his chosen speciality has led him to undertake a further degree, an MSc in Urology. This is a part-time two-year course undertaken largely through distance learning at the Anglia Ruskin University at Cambridge, supported by Consultant Urologists at the Cambridge University Hospitals Trust. The course comprises core modules on Clinical and Applied Science in Urological Disease, Clinical Leadership and Service Development, Research and a major project.

Mr Gurung has already completed his first year and is about to start on his second year.

‘It’s quite demanding but I’ve managed to get on all right for the year one. Year two looks like it’s going to be slightly more challenging because it’s more research based, but If you don’t put in the hours you don’t get the output,’ he says.

And he goes on: ‘I’m currently looking at the MRI scan being used for prostate cancers: what type of MRI scans are ideal to diagnose prostate cancers, the different modality of it. That’s my main interest.

‘Almost 59% of our patients are prostate cancers so the majority of our work depends on that, so it is quite important.’

As with many specialisms on the island, major surgeries such as prostatectomies, are done in specialist centres in the UK. A timely and accurate diagnosis at Noble’s Hospital expedites their access to further treatment.

The Urology Department has also been supported by a local cancer charity which has purchased a transperineal biopsy machine which is being used with the 3Tesla MRI scanner purchased by the Trust to give a 99% accurate diagnosis.

Dr Gurung says: ‘It is important that we don’t waste too much time over here, we get the diagnostics right, and get the histology right, which we do.

‘What I’m studying at the moment will somehow make an impact in understanding the logistics of using different types of scans in diagnosis and make difference in patient care.’