Raj S. Pruthi, M.D. 
Professor and Chair, Department of Urology | UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC, UNITED STATES
Dr. Pruthi’s research interests are in urologic oncology, including bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer
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Biography
Dr. Raj Pruthi, Professor and Chair of the UNC Department of Urology, graduated from Stanford College and Duke Medical School. He completed his residency in urologic surgery at Stanford University. During his time at Stanford, Dr. Pruthi spent one year as a fellow specializing in prostate cancer in the Department of Urology. He joined the Division of Urology at UNC in 2000 and in 2011 was appointed Division Chief. In July 2013, Dr. Pruthi became Chairman of the newly established Department of Urology.
Dr. Pruthi specializes in urologic oncology and robotic surgery. Committed to compassionate, comprehensive, and innovative patient-centered care, he has been consistently selected to be named among the Best Doctors in America. He is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center where he serves as co-director of the Multidisciplinary Genitourinary Oncology Group. He is also a member of the Perioperative Leadership Group with UNC Health Care.
Dr. Pruthi’s research interests are in urologic oncology, including bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer. His research has included the study of inflammatory pathways in the development and treatment of prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers as well as the development and study of minimally-invasive and robotic treatments for urologic malignancies. In addition he is a leader in the study of workforce issues in urology.
Dr. Pruthi currently serves in a number of institutional, regional, and national teaching and professional capacities. He serves as Chair for the American College of Surgeons’ Surgical Forum for Urology and also serves on the organization’s Committee on Video-based Education. He is a member of the ABU/AUA Examination Committee and served on the Abstract Review Team for the 2013 AUA Abstract Review Process. Dr. Pruthi serves as a consultant and reviewer for numerous publications, and is on the editorial board for several journals including the Journal of Urology, British Journal of Urology, World Journal of Urology, Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, amongst others.
Industry Expertise (3)
Education/Learning
Research
Health and Wellness
Areas of Expertise (5)
Urologic Oncology
Bladder Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Prostrate Cancer
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Education (7)
Stanford University: Residency Program, Urology 1998
Stanford University: Fellowship, Prostrate Cancer and Ultrasonography 1996
Stanford University: Residency Program, General Surgery 1994
Stanford University: Internship, General Surgery 1993
Duke University School of Medicine: M.D., Medicine 1992
Stanford University: B.S., Biology 1988
Stanford University: B.A. (Hons.), Economics
Affiliations (9)
- ABU/AUA Examination Committee : Member
- American College of Surgeons : Member
- American Urological Association : Member
- Society of Robotic Surgery : Charter Member
- Scientific Committee Indian American Urological Association : Vice Chair
- American College of Surgeons Advisory Council for Urology : Member
- The Society of Pelvic Surgeons : Member
- The Surgical Forum for Urology American College of Surgeons : Chair
- American College of Surgeons Committee on Video-based Education : Member
Media Appearances (3)
ArborMetrix's RegistryMetrix analytics platform selected for UNC's urology department
News Medical online
2015-01-15
"While our initial focus will be on affiliated UNC sites, eventually we plan to actively reach out across the entire network of urology practices in North Carolina," said Raj S. Pruthi, M.D., Professor and Chair of Urology at the University of North Carolina. "We look forward to bringing providers together statewide around shared goals such as quality improvement, cost reduction and ultimately patient outcomes. Working with ArborMetrix, we will also have the ability to benchmark and share best practices among peers at other established CQIs such as the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC)."...
Number of urologists to decline 29% by 2025, according to AUA paper
Urology Times online
2013-06-04
"The demand is going to go up, and there aren't going to be enough of us," co-author Raj S. Pruthi, MD, chief of urology and professor of surgery/urology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, told Urology Times. This will be good for existing urologists as they face greater demand for their services, Dr. Pruthi said. But in the big picture, he said, the urologist shortage threatens effective health care in the United States...
Urologist Shortage Projected in US
MedScape Multispeciality online
2013-05-06
The number of urologists in the United States peaked in 2008 at 9852, and is now declining with serious consequences, especially in rural areas, said Raj Pruthi, MD, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "We think this is a real problem."...
Articles (5)
Prospective randomized controlled trial of robotic versus open radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: perioperative and pathologic results
European Urology2010 BACKGROUND: In recent years, surgeons have begun to report case series of minimally invasive approaches to radical cystectomy, including robotic-assisted techniques demonstrating the surgical feasibility of this procedure with the potential of lower blood ...
Robotic radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: surgical and pathological outcomes in 100 consecutive cases
The Journal of Urology2010 PURPOSE: Radical cystectomy remains the most effective treatment for patients with localized, invasive bladder cancer and recurrent noninvasive disease. Recently some surgeons have begun to describe outcomes associated with less invasive surgical ...
Neoadjuvant clinical trial with sorafenib for patients with stage II or higher renal cell carcinoma
Journal of Clinical Oncology2010 PURPOSE: The multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib is used for the treatment of advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma. However, the safety and efficacy of this agent have yet to be evaluated in the preoperative period, where there may be potential advantages ...
Robotic assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy: operative and pathological outcomes
The Journal of Urology2007 PURPOSE: Recent small case series have now been reported for robotic assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy. We report our initial experience with robotic assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy, evaluating the perioperative and ...
Watchful waiting for solid renal masses: insight into the natural history and results of delayed intervention
The Journal of Urology2007 PURPOSE: We describe the short-term outcomes of patients whose renal masses were managed expectantly (ie watchful waiting) to provide insight into the natural history of small renal tumors. Additionally, this study examined the effects of delayed intervention in ...
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