In the US, Hispanics have risen to almost 20% of the population, and as we see society age, more urologists will be seeing these patients.¹ According to the 2023 AUA Census, only 4.9% of urologists identify as Hispanic.² A very large discrepancy between Hispanic urologists and Hispanic patients looms before us.

This gap was the inspiration behind creating the Hispanic Urologists Society of North America (HUSNA). HUSNA was established in 2022 by Dr Pedro Maria (president), Dr Robert Valenzuela (president-elect), Dr Ricardo Munarriz (secretary), and Dr Martin Gross (treasurer; Figure). Our goals are to improve the health status of Hispanic communities, mentor Hispanic medical students and urology residents, and promote excellent urological care for the Hispanic population.

Dr Pedro Maria highlighted these efforts HUSNA in his recent interview in Urology Times, where he said, “There was a need for the Hispanic urologists to have a society and get together.” He also elaborated on the disparity that exists by noting that “in the Bronx there are more than 1 million Latinos, and do you know how many Latino urologists there are? Two.”

To accomplish this, HUSNA has started efforts to increase their social media presence to promote opportunities and mentorship for young trainees, highlight the academic work and triumphs of its members, and overall cultivate a community among established urologists. The executive board of HUSNA and our members have been working diligently to increase our presence at urologic conferences, interviews, and other among organizations. Dr Juan Andino has participated in the first Spanish-language sessions at the SMSNA (Sexual Medicine Society of North America), and moving forward will be working through SMSNA, HUSNA, and similar societies to increase the Spanish-speaking presence at conferences and improve the educational material available for patients.

Why is this gap so imperative to address? In a literary review study of 16 articles on this topic, Gomez et al answered this question by assessing the association between diversity, innovation, and patient health. Gomez et al concluded that diversity increases innovation, productivity, accuracy in risk assessment, and patient health outcomes.³ Another meta-analysis in 2014 showed that increased diversity in the health care workforce helped reduce or eliminate health disparities, improved patient compliance, improved satisfaction scores, and reduced clinical uncertainty for patients.⁴ These sentiments were echoed in 2021 by Capers et al, who concluded that increasing minority groups in medicine will help enhance the cultural competence of other physicians and improve the care that minority patients receive due to better communication and trust. This in turn ensures that minority communities have physicians that are dedicated to their care, and enhances the inclusivity and impact of medical research (which results in further improvements in patient care).⁵

Questions remains how to best close the disparity between Hispanic urologists and Hispanic America, because 4.9% is not going to cut it. HUSNA aims to serve as role models for medical students and other trainees to inspire them to consider a career in urologic surgery. We also hope to join in the efforts of other diversity and inclusion associations like the Society of Women in Urology, the R. Frank Jones Urological Society, and more to promote the AUA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. We also hope to educate (and learn) from both Hispanic urologists and other urologists in the field as to how to best provide culturally competent urologic care to the Hispanic population.

HUSNA is new, but we have grown tremendously over the last year. We now have close to 70 members and over 200 active followers on X/Twitter. Our members continue to advocate for the group’s mission via multiple platforms and avenues. We hope to continue to share our mission and advocate for diversity and inclusion across urology. The future is about growth because 4.9% is not enough, and “juntos podemos mas”!