Thomas Chi, M.D., MBA, FACS, professor and chair, Anton J. Bueschen Endowed Chair in the UAB Department of Urology, presented the 2026 State of the Department on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Watch the recording of the presentation.
The presentation opened with an introduction from James E. Bryant, M.D., who recently retired from the department. Bryant recounted some of UAB Urology’s early history led by pioneers like Anton J. Bueschen, M.D., and Keith Lloyd, M.D. Tracing back to the early 1970s, the UAB Division of Urology was established within the Department of Surgery in 1973. It retained division status until 2012, when it officially became a full academic department.
Bryant’s narrative set the stage for the present-day vision introduced by Chi, who has focused the team around a shared, forward-leaning strategy grounded by a mantra: “Dream Big.”
“Those two words, to me, encapsulate what people in this room identified that they’d like to accomplish over the course of the next two, five, and 10 years and beyond,” Chi explained.
Chi, who joined the department as chair in January 2025, began his presentation by emphasizing that the UAB Department of Urology is no longer simply maintaining what was built; rather, it is accelerating toward a future anchored by strategic growth, bold ambition, and a unified purpose.
“We are not just a service line: we are a strategic asset,” Chi said. “We aim to be the rising tide that lifts the UAB reputation, extending our reach and impact for the entire UAB Health System and the Heersink School of Medicine.”
A curated tripartite mission for the department that was developed over the past year is Discover, Inspire, and Serve.
“When these pillars align, we become the sum of more than our individual selves, and that is what our mission is.”
Clinically, the department has set a clear priority: to establish UAB Urology as the premier destination for urologic healthcare in Alabama and beyond. This commitment is reflected in substantial clinical expansion, including the recruitment of eight new faculty members in the past year, with two more set to join in the fall, as well as the addition of four Advanced Practice Providers.
“I would say it’s fair to say we recruited boldly,” Chi said. “We went out and looked for the best talent, wherever they were.”
Through this recruitment, the department achieved milestones like launching its new section of Academic Community Urology, introducing its new multidisciplinary program in urogenetics, and securing its status as a BPH enlarged prostate Center of Excellence.
Chi emphasized the significance of access when it comes to patient care, as the current ratio is one urologist for every 20,000 people in the state of Alabama.
“Access for us is equity,” he said. “When we expand geographically, we’re not just growing because we want to grow. We’re growing because we must ensure high-quality urologic care is not a privilege of proximity.”
In research, Chi said the department strives to reach the top five in NIH funding in the field while becoming a leader in the clinical trial space. The intent, he said, is not simply to publish research findings, but to translate discovery into measurable improvements in outcomes across the region.
“We discover because our version of innovation is how we bend the arc of history toward better care.”
The Department of Urology’s robust research program has historically included clinical research, basic research, translational research, clinical trials, and implementation science.
“What we’ve done in the last year is formalize this structure,” Chi said. “How do we go from good to great in the research and discovery arena. That research footprint now is no longer local—it’s national; it’s international.”
Chi reported that the department produced 179 publications in the last year and grew its clinical trial portfolio from 26 open at the start of last year to 32, with a projected tally of 43 by the end of 2026.
In education, Chi highlighted trainees at all levels of training—from medical students to residents to fellows.
“If discovery builds knowledge, inspiration builds people,” he said. “And this I think is where we truly secure our legacy.”
In 2025, the Department of Urology announced securing new funding to support its Endourology Fellowship and the establishment of a new fellowship, Genitourinary Reconstruction and Prosthetics, which is seeking candidates starting in 2027.
Philanthropically, Chi said the department's goals include converting generosity into impact while deepening philanthropic relationships. In 2025, UAB Urology awarded the John R. Burns, M.D., and Dean G. Assimos, M.D., Endowed Professorship to John Knight, Ph.D., a reflection of the dedication of department alumni to reinvest in the team that shaped them. This year, the department looks forward to the completion of the David Joseph Endowed Chair in Pediatric Urology.
When considering goals for next year, Chi mentioned structuring sustainably around recent growth, strategic recruitment, and intentional expansion of its clinical volume.
“Dreams without discipline fade,” Chi said. “It is our charge this year to have discipline, to continue with those dreams, and bring the department toward the future that everyone in the department believes in.”