PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Robert W. Wake, MD
Subhead: Urologist’s loyalty to UT is matched by his devotion to residents, patients
By RON COBB
While it’s unlikely that Robert W. Wake, MD, wears orange scrubs in the OR, he’s pretty much orange to the core in most other respects.
The urologist grew up in Knoxville and attended the University of Tennessee for both undergraduate and medical school. After receiving his degree in 1985, he did his residency at UT and then joined the faculty. He is now professor and chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
We might also mention, to no one’s surprise, he is a big fan of Tennessee football.
“Even in the down times, like now, we remain loyal UT fans,” Wake said of himself and his wife of 29 years, Debbie.
Staying in the same state, much less within the same university system, is a bit uncommon for a doctor with his experience, but Wake’s loyalty to UT has rarely been shaken.
“A couple of times we have considered opportunities, like everyone does, but I walk by faith, not by sight, and that has allowed me to remain in the place and career that I truly love,” he said.
Inspired by his parents and their support, Wake went into healthcare for reasons he can’t specifically pinpoint.
“In high school,” he said, “I decided I wanted a career in medicine. It was just something I felt drawn to, despite having no true reason for my interest.”
Wake, now a member of UT Methodist Physicians, knew early on that he wanted to do surgery, but he also liked the variety that medicine offers.
“Urology was the best combination of a major surgical subspecialty that offered the opportunity to do major open surgeries, endoscopic surgeries, and still have a great deal of medical care that could be offered to patients with a variety of urological problems,” he said. “It also allowed me to care for male and female patients as well as adult and pediatric patients.
“I readily admit I’m biased, but if there’s a better surgical subspecialty in medicine, I haven’t found it.”
Throw in the opportunity to teach, and Wake has what he feels is the perfect situation. He calls his duties as program director of UTHSC’s urology residency program demanding, but also rewarding. The responsibility of educating future urologists is what motivates him to keep his hand in academia.
“It challenges me on a daily basis, which I sincerely welcome,” he said. “Our residents are like an extended family to me, and most become lifelong friends and peers.
“Many people misunderstand what is involved in an academic career. They often believe it means one doesn’t see their own private practice patients and that the residents do all the work while we sit in an office and monitor them from a distance. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“For example, I have an office in Germantown, where I see my private patients two full days and one half-day every week. There are no residents with me on these private office days. I have two and a half days for surgeries each week. One of those days, I spend operating with the residents at our Veterans Hospital, which is part of our training program.”
According to UTHSC’s website, Wake has an interest in kidney stone disease in addition to treating and researching prostate cancer and its complications. He is described as one of the first to perform and report on a large series of second-generation targeted cryoablation of the prostate, and one of the first urologists to perform tubeless percutaneous nephrostolithotomy.
Wake identifies two particular areas in which advancements have been made related to prostate cancer.
“Newer markers coming out to supplement, but not necessarily replace PSA, for screening and to aid the urologists as to when a second biopsy may be indicated after a patient has had a previous negative biopsy,” he said.
“Other newer markers may help determine which patients may have an aggressive form of prostate cancer that needs treatment and those with less-aggressive types that may just be followed. So treatment can be individualized for each patient potentially based on these results.
“Also, the numerous drugs that have been developed and FDA-approved are currently being used in the treatment of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. In fact, new guidelines have been developed on the best way to implement the use of these new drugs in this group of patients.”
In terms of listing his rewards and challenges, Wake began with “taking care of my patients and doing my very best to resolve, or at least improve, their problems. Realistic expectations for ourselves and our patients, as well as faith, are critical to successful outcomes.
“The biggest frustration has to be the government intrusion into the patient-physician encounter. The use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) despite potential benefits has certainly been a frustrating endeavor. I’m not against positive change to improve a situation and I embrace new technology, but with the Baptist, Methodist and Regional Medical Center recently implementing three different EMR systems that do not currently communicate effectively and each requiring hours of classroom work to even attempt to learn how to use them, one can see how this may be a tad bit frustrating. But it is the world we live in, and all we can do is embrace the change and move forward.”
Five or 10 years from now, Wake says he still hopes to be chairman and program director at UTHSC and “still providing exemplary patient care. Maybe by then I will have mastered the EMR at all the hospitals as well, if they haven’t changed them again.”
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