Letters from the Editor SIU Scholar: Dr. Diarra Alkadri The Societe Internationale d’Urologie (SIU) offers Training Scholarships for young doctors with basic surgical or urological qualifications. The SIU Scholarships involve training in a recognized urologic center of excellence located in the candidate’s geographic region. These SIU-accredited centers provide an excellent environment for learning and, in many instances, hands-on experience, so that candidates may acquire knowledge and skills that they will be able to transfer to their own setting of practice. In this series of short communications, SIU Scholars write about the impact that these training opportunities facilitated by the SIU had on their quality of care and career development. Information about applying for an SIU Scholarship is available at http://www.siu-urology.org/. On January 6, 2013, I started my 6-month SIU training scholarship at Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Center (UNC). I wish to start by thanking the SIU for the opportunity they gave me—through this training program—to enrich my knowledge of urology. I am very grateful to the SIU. During this scholarship, I watched and participated in some surgical procedures that I had never seen before, including some endoscopic procedures. I was particularly impacted by 2 laparoscopic nephrectomies, one W-neobladder and one Monti technique, which I performed myself in the animal laboratory. Every day during this scholarship I attended morning meetings, and every Monday night there was a journal club and a meeting with clinical staff on Thursdays. The library, the urodynamic service, and radiology were places that I attended regularly and in which I established good professional relationships. I also attended the: Fourth International Training Course on “reconstruction techniques in urology” from February 2 to 7, 2013 at the Mansoura UNC. The First Annual Meeting of Urology University of Al Azar services, Suez Canal, and El Menofia from March 27 to 28, 2013 in Cairo. Workshop: How to Write a Scientific Paper. The First International Training Course in Endourology (percutaneous nephrolithotomy and ureteroscopy), April 21 to 24, 2013 at the Mansoura UNC. Second International Training Course in Pediatric Urology, May 18-23, 2013 at the Mansoura UNC e Workshop: How to Edit a Scientific Article. I also spent 45 days training at the Pediatric Urology Department. ª 2014 Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved

Diarra Alkadri, SIU Scholar

During this training period, some of my articles were accepted for publication in journals such as: Progrès en Urologie from France, the Canadian Urological Association Journal, the Journal of the Egyptian Association of Urology, and more. Prof. Hassan Abol-Enein entrusted me with a video on the technique of preservation of neurovascular strips in radical cystectomy that I must present in Paris next November at the congress of the French Association of Urology. This scholarship has been incredibly beneficial for me; it has been the biggest turning point in my training. I confess here, undoubtedly, that the objectives that I set for myself before coming to this Center have really been achieved. This intense stay at Mansoura UNC has allowed me to improve my English skills. Regarding improvements for future programs, I would like the SIU to encourage applications from Anglophones wishing to do scholarships in Francophone centers and vice-versa. My sincere thanks to the SIU, to Prof. Hassan AbolEnein; Prof. Attallah A Shaaban; Prof. Ahmed A Shokeir; Prof. Mahmoud Bazeed; Dr. Karim Soliman (Resident); and Dr. Mohamed Kamal (SIU scholarship). Abbreviated CV. Dr. Alkadri Diarra was born in December 1978 in Mali. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry at the University of Bamako in 2006 (Mali). He was Head of the Department of General Surgery in the health districts of Kolondièba and Bougouni from 2006 to 2008 and from 2008 to 2009, respectively, in the region of Sikasso (Mali). He was the first physician to

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perform prostate surgery in these 2 districts. From 2009 until now, he has been a resident in Urology at the University Hospital Hassan II of Fez in Morocco. Mr. Diarra graduated in Medical Science Communication at the University of Fes in Morocco and Bordeaux 2 in France in 2011. In 2012, he graduated in Pedagogy of Health Sciences from Victor

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Segalen Bordeaux 2 University in France. He is a vesicovaginal fistula surgeon level III. He is the first author of at least 5 urology articles already published. Dr. Diarra Alkadri, SIU Scholar E-mail: [email protected]

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