Ep. 119 Legends of Urology with Dr. Peter Scardino, A Prostate Cancer Journey

In this episode of BackTable Urology, Dr. Bagrodia interviews Dr. Peter Scardino, world-renowned urologist and professor emeritus of urology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), about his journey to becoming a urologist and life lessons he has learned along the way.

Dr. Scardino was born in Portsmouth Naval Hospital at the end of World War II and grew up in Savannah, Georgia. The fact that his father was a urologist and his attendance at a National Science Foundation special summer science program started his interest in medicine. He had an early interest in science and worked harder than anyone else. This work ethic led him to pursue an undergraduate degree at Yale and a medical degree at Duke. Then, he trained in general surgery at Massachusetts General and pursued urology training at UCLA. 

Dr. Scardino also speaks about his experience in hospital administration and business management. We discuss how he was inspired to gain knowledge in the field, and how a group of faculty members got together to learn from a retired businessman and the University of Houston. He shares personal stories about his mentors and insights on how mentors can help guide people to their best interests. He also emphasizes the importance of engaging in leadership and administration early on in a career.

Additionally, he shares about the challenges he faced when making the decision to move from being chair of urology at Baylor College of Medicine to Memorial Sloan Kettering. They also discuss the division of attitudes towards making urology a department, and how it affected Dr Scardino's personal life. Finally, Dr Scardino reflects on the lessons he has learned throughout his career and the importance of striking a balance between work and personal life.