📱 Post Previews — A/B Variants

Dr. Mark Schoenberg has trained urologists for over 20 years. We asked him what makes Montefiore different — and his answer had nothing to do with case numbers or fellowship rates.

He talked about mentorship. About building surgeons who think, not just operate.

What quality do you value most in a program's leadership?

Our Chairman just said something on camera most program directors wouldn't.

We asked what makes the program special. He didn't mention rankings. Didn't mention publications. Watch what he actually talked about.

Would your dream program's leadership talk like this?

We sat down with our Chairman and asked one question: "What makes Montefiore special?"

Dr. Schoenberg has trained surgeons for two decades. His answer reflects the culture we try to build every day — rooted in mentorship, trust, and giving residents real responsibility early.

What does great leadership in a training program look like to you?

Most Chairmen talk about rankings. Ours talked about mentorship.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg. 20+ years training urologists. One question. His answer might change how you think about what makes a program worth 5 years of your life.

What matters more — a program's reputation or how its leaders actually treat residents?

Why the Best Choose Montefiore

When we ask residents why they ranked us #1, they don't talk about case volume first. They talk about the people. The mentorship. The feeling that someone in the room always has your back.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg, our Chairman, has spent two decades building a department where surgical excellence and genuine humanity aren't competing values.

What Makes a Surgical Residency Worth 5 Years of Your Life

Case numbers matter. Fellowship match rates matter. But residents who train at Montefiore point to something else when you ask why they chose us: autonomy, mentorship that extends beyond the OR, and a culture where asking questions is treated as a strength.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg shares the philosophy that's shaped this program for 20 years.

This is Montefiore Urology. Residents. Faculty. One team.

At our annual graduation banquet, the entire department comes together to celebrate the surgeons heading into practice and fellowship. It's one of our favorite photos every year because it captures something real — these are the people you'll train alongside.

Tag someone applying urology this cycle who should see this.

One photo. The entire department. This is who you'd train with.

No stock images. No carefully curated headshots. Just our team at graduation — the same people who'll be in the OR with you at 2 AM and teaching you during rounds.

Know someone applying urology? Send this their way.

Week 2 of our interview season series — Meet Our Leadership.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg, our Chairman, on how he'd encourage a resident to join Montefiore — and what he believes truly matters when choosing where to train. 🎬

What would make an attending's pitch feel genuine to you on interview day?

Most Chairmen have a PR answer for "what makes your program special." Dr. Schoenberg doesn't.

We put a camera on him and asked one question. This is what he said — unscripted, unfiltered. 🎬

Surgical skill or teaching ability — which matters more in a Chairman?

Meet our Chairman. Dr. Mark Schoenberg has trained urologists for over 20 years and built a department culture around one idea: mentorship that goes beyond the OR.

We asked how he'd encourage a resident to join Montefiore. His answer reflects what he actually values — not what sounds good in a brochure. 🎬

Tag a pre-med or med student who needs to hear this.

What does 20 years of training surgeons teach you about mentorship? We asked our Chairman. His answer surprised us.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg on what actually matters when you're choosing where to spend 5 years of your life.

Drop a 🏥 if you want to see more faculty perspectives this week.

🏆 Congratulations to the 2026 Stanley Boczko Teacher of the Year recipients:

Dr. Alexander Small
Dr. Nitya Abraham
Dr. Michael Lipsky

The award is named for Dr. Boczko — a Montefiore educator who shaped surgical teaching here for decades. Three winners in one year tells you the standard here is real.

We're lucky to work alongside teachers like this.

Know a resident or attending who shaped your training? Tag them.

🏆 Three faculty members. One award. The Stanley Boczko Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Alexander Small. Dr. Nitya Abraham. Dr. Michael Lipsky.

At Montefiore, teaching isn't a checkbox on the way to tenure. Dr. Boczko set that standard decades ago, and it's alive in every OR, every round, every lecture.

When was the last time you had a teacher who actually changed how you think?

Chairman's Perspective — Dr. Mark Schoenberg on Building Surgical Training Here

Twenty-plus years of training urologists teaches you something about what matters. Dr. Schoenberg shares the philosophy that shapes Montefiore's approach: autonomy built on trust, mentorship that extends beyond the OR, and the belief that the best surgeons are the ones taught to think critically from day one.

Follow for more faculty perspectives this season. What matters most to you in a program director — surgical skill or teaching ability?

20 Years of Training Surgeons. Here's What Actually Matters.

Dr. Mark Schoenberg doesn't talk about rankings when you ask what makes Montefiore special. He talks about mentorship. About building a culture where residents operate early, ask hard questions, and leave as surgeons who think — not just technicians who follow protocols.

Three of the faculty who'll shape your training at Montefiore.

When we asked residents what sets this program apart, the answer kept coming back to the same thing: the people. Faculty who teach because they genuinely want to — not because it's part of the job description.

What matters more when choosing a program — case volume or the people teaching you?

These three surgeons teach in our ORs every week.

When was the last time you asked a program "who will actually be teaching me?" Not the program director. Not the chair. The attendings in the room at 7 AM on a Tuesday.

Case volume vs. teaching quality — which matters more to you?

Friday evening at Montefiore. The ORs are quiet. The residents are probably climbing something or competing at something — that's just how it goes around here.

Weekend plans? Ours involve rest, recovery, and probably a group chat that's half medicine and half memes. What about you?

Weekend plans. Ours: rest. Recovery. Maybe some friendly competition. (Our residents take "team bonding" seriously — there's photographic evidence.)

What are you up to this weekend? Medical or otherwise.

Story 1: "Meet our faculty — they're the reason residents choose to stay." Faculty quick-take clip.

Story 2: Poll: "What matters most in a residency program?" Options: Mentorship · Case Volume · Location · Culture

Story 1: Faculty quick-take — 15 seconds. One question. "What do you wish applicants knew about Montefiore?"

Story 2: Poll: "Rank these residency factors." Drag to reorder: Mentorship · Autonomy · Case Numbers · Location

Week 3: The Faculty You'll Train With. Dr. Alexander Sankin — urologic oncologist, robotic surgeon, and one of the reasons residents say the OR teaching here is different. 🎬

What specialty are you most excited to explore in residency?

Dr. Alexander Sankin. Urologic oncology. Robotic surgery. Resident favorite for OR teaching. We asked what makes Montefiore special — his answer is exactly what you want an attending to say. 🎬

What specialty are you leaning toward?

Dr. Alexander Sankin on what makes training here different. When a robotic surgery specialist tells you he chose Montefiore because of the people — not the robots — that says something. 🎬

Send this to someone trying to choose between urology programs.

A urologic oncologist who could work anywhere. Here's why he chose Montefiore — and it's not about the da Vinci. 🎬

Share this with someone weighing their residency options. 🏥

Dr. Kara Watts directs our Female Pelvic Medicine program. We asked what makes Montefiore special — she talked about the people and the volume. 🎬

What matters more to you in training — subspecialty volume or mentorship quality?

Dr. Kara Watts. Director, Female Pelvic Medicine. Known for making complex cases make sense. Here's what she said when we asked what makes Montefiore different. 🎬

Volume or mentorship — what tips the scale for you?

Dr. Jillian Donnelly — our pediatric urology specialist. We asked her what makes Montefiore special. Her answer: the way attendings invest in you from day one. 🎬

What do you hope your attendings say about your program?

Dr. Jillian Donnelly. When we asked her what makes Montefiore special, she didn't hesitate. Watch what she said. 🎬

What should every attending be able to say about their program? Drop it below.

Dr. Jillian Donnelly rounds out our faculty spotlight week. Her perspective on what training at Montefiore means — not just building surgical skills, but building the next generation of leaders in the field. 🎬

What kind of surgeon do you want to become?

Last faculty perspective this week: Dr. Jillian Donnelly. She didn't talk about case numbers. Watch what she focused on instead. 🎬

5 years from now, what kind of urologist do you want to be?

Story 1: "This week's faculty, in 15 seconds each." Quick-cut montage of Sankin, Watts, Donnelly.

Story 2: Poll: "Which specialty interests you most?" Oncology · FPMRS · Robotics · General Urology

Story 1: 4 faculty. 60 seconds. One question. Swipe to see what each of them said about Montefiore.

Story 2: Poll: "Pick your specialty." Oncology · FPMRS · Robotics · General

Week 4: The Residents' Perspective. Farzaan Kassam on what he loves about this program — and what he wishes applicants knew before applying. 🎬

Current residents: what do you wish you knew before the interview trail?

Enough from the faculty. Week 4 is all residents. Farzaan Kassam kicks it off — what he actually loves (and doesn't) about training here. 🎬

Residents: what's one thing you wish programs were honest about?

Resident perspective: Farzaan Kassam shares what he loves about Montefiore Urology. Not the brochure version — the real one. 🎬

Tag someone who needs to hear a resident's honest take.

What does a resident actually love about their program? Farzaan Kassam doesn't hold back. 🎬

Send this to anyone stressing about their rank list.

"Work-life balance" is a phrase everyone uses. This is what it actually looks like for us.

Our residents don't just train together. They climb together. Compete together. Laugh together.

It's not a wellness program someone designed. It's what happens when good people end up in the same place.

Know a program where the residents genuinely enjoy being around each other? That's the sign to look for.

Wellness isn't a PowerPoint presentation. It's this.

Our residents at their annual retreat. They climb. They compete. They build the kind of trust that makes 2 AM consults bearable.

This is what resident life looks like when the program actually invests in its people.

A day in the life of a Montefiore urology resident. Justin Loloi takes you through what a typical day actually looks like — rounds, OR time, clinic, and the moments in between. 🎬

What does your ideal day in residency look like?

What does a urology resident's day actually look like? Justin Loloi shows you — unfiltered. 🎬

Spoiler: it's not all glamorous. But it's real. Drop a ⚕️ if you want more resident POV content.

What Residents Actually Want You to Know About Montefiore Urology

We asked our residents to be honest — no talking points, no PR filter. Their answers covered mentorship, autonomy, the interview trail, and what they wish someone had told them before they applied. If you're a medical student considering urology, this is the perspective you need.

Tag a co-applicant who's trying to decide where to apply.

5 Things Montefiore Residents Wish Every Applicant Knew

Culture over prestige. Autonomy over observation. Real mentorship over assigned advisors. Our residents didn't hold back when we asked what applicants should look for — and what they wish they'd known before the interview trail.

Story 1: Climbing wall — "This is what resident wellness actually looks like."

Story 2: Obstacle course — "Team bonding that isn't mandatory fun."

Story 3: Group photo — "The people make the program."

Story 1: Climbing wall. "Wellness isn't a PowerPoint."

Story 2: Obstacle course. "Trust built here translates to the OR."

Story 3: The squad. "Choose your people, not just your program."

Phase 2 starts now: What We Look For. Dr. Nitya Abraham on what she actually looks for in a residency candidate — not the rehearsed answer, the honest one. 🎬

What do you believe programs should value most in applicants, beyond scores?

What makes a good urology resident? Dr. Nitya Abraham's answer might surprise you. Hint: it has less to do with scores than you think. 🎬

What do programs undervalue in applicants?

Phase 2: What We Look For. Dr. Nitya Abraham shares her honest perspective on what makes a strong urology residency candidate. It's not what most people expect. 🎬

Save this for when you're working on your ERAS application.

What makes a good resident? Dr. Nitya Abraham's answer. No talking points. Just the truth. 🎬

Bookmark this if you're applying urology this cycle.

📋 ERAS is open. Here's your application timeline for urology:

Now: Finalize your personal statement. Have someone you trust read it.
This week: Submit ERAS. Don't wait for the deadline — earlier is better.
Late Sep: Programs begin reviewing. Your application should be complete.
Oct: Interview invitations start going out.

One piece of advice from our PD: submit when you're ready, not when you're perfect. Perfection is a trap.

What's one thing you're stressing about in your ERAS application right now? We'll share real advice in the replies.

📋 ERAS is open. Here's your urology timeline — the version nobody tells you.

Now → Finalize your PS. Have a real human read it.
ASAP → Submit. Early matters more than "perfect."
Late Sep → Programs review. If you're not complete, you're invisible.
Oct → Interviews start. Your inbox becomes your most important app.

Our PD's advice: "Submit when ready — not when perfect. Perfect never comes."

What Makes a Great Urology Resident — A Program Director's Perspective

Dr. Nitya Abraham shares what she's learned from years of reviewing applications and interviewing candidates. The patterns that stand out. The red flags that don't. And the one quality that consistently predicts a resident who will thrive at Montefiore.

Save this for when you're working on your personal statement.

After Reviewing Thousands of Applications, Here's What Actually Stands Out

Dr. Nitya Abraham on the patterns she sees in candidates who go on to become exceptional residents — and the red flags that applicants don't realize they're sending. If you're in the middle of ERAS season, what's your biggest concern about your application right now?

Story: Poll — "What quality matters most in a residency program?" Options: Mentorship · Autonomy · Case Volume · Culture

Story: Poll — "Which matters more for residency?" Options: Prestige of the program · Quality of the people

3 things to do this weekend for your urology application:

1. Have someone who doesn't love you read your personal statement. Someone who will be honest.
2. Double-check your MSPE and transcripts uploaded correctly. You'd be surprised.
3. Take a real break. The process is a marathon, not a sprint.

You've got this. Seriously.

What's your biggest ERAS stressor this week? Drop it below — sometimes just naming it helps.

Weekend ERAS checklist:

☐ Someone who doesn't love you reads your PS
☐ Verify every document actually uploaded
☐ Step away from the screen for 4+ hours
☐ Sleep

This process is a marathon. Pace yourself.

Week 6: What You'll Learn Here. Dr. Priya Dave on what she feels especially skilled in after training at Montefiore. 🎬

What procedure or skill are you most excited to learn in residency?

What does Montefiore training actually produce? Dr. Priya Dave on the skills she walks out with. 🎬

What's the #1 skill you want to graduate with?

Dr. Rutul Patel on the skills Montefiore training gave him — and what surprised him most about the learning curve here. 🎬

What specialty-specific skill do you want to be known for?

Rutul Patel. Graduate. What he's especially skilled in now — and what Montefiore training did that other programs might not. 🎬

Name one skill you want to be undeniable at by graduation.

What will you actually learn here? Dr. Priya Dave shares what Montefiore training equipped her with — the skills that matter most in practice. 🎬

Save this if you're comparing residency programs.

6 months into practice. Here's what Montefiore training gave Dr. Priya Dave that she uses every single day. 🎬

Share with someone trying to decide between programs.

As ERAS reviews begin: Dr. Nitya Abraham on what she looks for in a candidate. If you missed it two weeks ago, worth a rewatch. 🎬

What's one thing you wish programs knew about you that doesn't fit on an application?

ERAS season rewind. Dr. Nitya Abraham on what actually makes a good resident. Hint: it's not your score. 🎬

What makes YOU a strong candidate that numbers can't capture?

Preparing for Urology Residency Applications — A Program Director's Guide

Dr. Nitya Abraham walks through what she's learned from years of reviewing urology applications. What stands out. What gets overlooked. And how to think about your application as a whole — not just a collection of scores and CV lines.

Share with someone applying urology this cycle — from someone who reads 500+ applications a year.

Your Urology Application: What Actually Matters (From Someone Who Reads 500+ Every Year)

Dr. Nitya Abraham reviews hundreds of urology applications annually. Here's what makes one memorable — and what makes one forgettable. If you're applying this cycle, this is required reading.

Week 8: Why They Chose Us. Farzaan Kassam on why medical students should consider Montefiore — the honest version. 🎬

What's the biggest factor in your rank list right now?

Farzaan Kassam. Why should med students consider Montefiore? His answer might change your rank list. 🎬

What's your #1 factor for ranking programs?

Rutul Patel on why students should consider Montefiore for urology training — and what surprised him most about the experience. 🎬

What surprised you most during your interview trail so far?

Rutul Patel. Here's why he thinks med students should look hard at Montefiore. 🎬

Biggest interview trail surprise so far — go.

Why should med students consider Montefiore? Farzaan Kassam answers — no talking points, just what he genuinely believes. 🎬

Send this to someone building their rank list.

Rank list season is coming. Farzaan Kassam makes the case for Montefiore in under 60 seconds. 🎬

Tag someone who needs to hear a resident's real take.

Rutul Patel's perspective on Montefiore — what he'd tell a med student considering the program. 🎬

What would you want a current resident to tell you before you rank?

Rutul Patel. Honest take on why med students should look at Montefiore. 🎬

What question do you wish every resident would answer honestly?

Phase 3: The Culture Here. We asked our residents what the culture actually feels like — not the rehearsed answer. Farzaan Kassam's take. 🎬

What does "good culture" actually mean to you in a residency program?

Every program says they have great culture. Farzaan Kassam tells you what it actually feels like to train here. 🎬

Name one thing that would tell you a program's culture is real — not just a website claim.

What does the culture at Montefiore actually feel like? Farzaan Kassam answers — no talking points. 🎬

Save this for when you're weighing program culture on your rank list.

"Good culture" is the most overused phrase in residency recruiting. Here's what it actually looks like — from someone living it. 🎬

Share with someone trying to figure out which programs are real about culture.

What actually makes Montefiore different from other programs? Farzaan Kassam gets specific — not vague superlatives, real examples. 🎬

What differentiator matters most to you in a program — autonomy, mentorship, or case volume?

Every program claims to be different. Farzaan Kassam explains what that actually means here — with receipts. 🎬

Autonomy. Mentorship. Volume. Which one tips the scale for you?

"What makes this program different?" Farzaan Kassam answers — not the brochure version. 🎬

Send this to someone choosing between urology programs.

What actually makes Montefiore different? One resident. One honest answer. 🎬

Tag a med student who needs to hear real talk about program differences.

Week 11: Mentorship, Real Talk. Dr. Alexander Sankin on how he'd encourage a resident to join Montefiore — not the sales pitch, the real answer. 🎬

What would make an attending's pitch feel genuine to you?

Dr. Alexander Sankin was asked: "How would you encourage a resident to join this program?" His answer has nothing to do with rankings. 🎬

What's the most convincing thing an attending could say to you on interview day?

Dr. Jillian Donnelly on why she'd encourage a resident to train here. Different attending, same theme: it's the people. 🎬

What's one question you'd ask an attending on interview day to test if mentorship is real?

Same question. Different attending. Dr. Jillian Donnelly on what she'd tell a resident considering Montefiore. 🎬

What question would expose whether a program's mentorship is real or performative?

What you don't see in the brochure: residents decompressing after a long OR day. This is the part of training nobody talks about — the people who make the hard days good.

What matters more to you — case variety or the people you'll work with every day?

The part of residency no website shows you. Residents. After a long day. Still laughing. This is what "good culture" actually looks like in practice.

Case variety or the people — which tips the scale?

Week 13: The Faculty's Advice. Dr. Kara Watts on how she'd encourage a resident to join Montefiore — and what she thinks applicants should be looking for. 🎬

What's the best advice you've received so far on the interview trail?

Dr. Kara Watts. How would you encourage a resident to join Montefiore? Her answer focuses on something most programs don't mention. 🎬

Best piece of interview trail advice you've gotten? Share it.

Dr. Jillian Donnelly on what she'd tell a resident considering Montefiore. The same question, a different perspective — and a consistent theme. 🎬

What themes are you noticing across the programs you're looking at?

Same question. Different attending. Dr. Jillian Donnelly on why she'd tell a resident to join Montefiore. 🎬

Pattern recognition: what themes keep coming up across the programs you're considering?

Week 14: What Makes Montefiore Different. Dr. Priya Dave shares her perspective — after training here and moving into practice, what stands out. 🎬

What do you hope you'll say about your residency program 5 years after graduating?

Priya Dave. Trained here. Now in practice. We asked what makes Montefiore different — her answer draws from experience on both sides. 🎬

What do you want to be able to say about your program 5 years post-graduation?

What makes Montefiore different? Dr. Priya Dave trained here and now practices — her perspective carries weight. 🎬

Share this with someone weighing program differences.

Graduated. Practicing. What stands out looking back? Dr. Priya Dave on what makes Montefiore different. 🎬

Send to a co-applicant trying to decide between programs.

Dr. Nitya Abraham on what makes Montefiore special. Different question, different week — but the thread that runs through every answer is unmistakable. 🎬

What theme keeps coming up when you ask your top programs "what makes you different"?

Dr. Nitya Abraham. Program director. Asked the question everyone asks on interview day. Her answer might not be what you expect. 🎬

What's the most common answer you're hearing from programs — and does it feel real?

Week 15: Skills You'll Build. Farzaan Kassam on what he feels especially skilled in after training at Montefiore — and what surprised him about his own growth. 🎬

What skill do you most want to develop in residency?

What are you actually good at after Montefiore training? Farzaan Kassam gets specific. 🎬

Name the one skill you absolutely want to master before graduation.

This week, we're grateful for this team. For the attendings who stay late to teach. For the residents who pick each other up. For a program that takes "community" seriously — not as a buzzword, as a way of working.

What are you grateful for this season? Tag someone who's made your journey easier.

Gratitude, Montefiore edition. For attendings who stay late to teach. For residents who have your back at 2 AM. For a program where "community" isn't a buzzword — it's the default.

Tag the person who's made your med school journey survivable.