Welcome to Washington, DC
AUA2026 opens with a call to challenge the norm.
As the nation’s capital welcomes thousands of urology professionals this week, AUA2026 arrives with a challenge for them: Question what’s comfortable and be ready to rethink it.
David Penson, MD
From emerging approaches to transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) to evolving strategies in stone disease and catheter design, the meeting’s educational core centers on reexamination. And, as always, the highly anticipated P2 sessions (practice-changing, paradigm-shifting clinical trials) anchor that effort.
“These are practice-changing, paradigm-shifting clinical trials that present data on new treatments,” Dr. Penson said. “Attendees will see the same data the FDA sees when the agency decides on approval of these agents.” With many therapies under current or recent review, he added, “the information will certainly have an immediate impact on how we practice.”
That immediacy is matched by a continued evolution in how content is delivered. This year, all poster sessions adopt an interactive format, expanding on a pilot that proved popular in recent meetings.
“It allows presenters, moderators and the audience to interact to a much greater degree, facilitating learning and making the session more dynamic,” Dr. Penson said.
Also new to the plenary is a joint AUA-European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines panel designed to surface both alignment and divergence between the organizations’ recommendations.
“This new panel … will compare and contrast the two organizations’ guidelines, helping attendees to understand where the guidelines overlap and where they disagree,” he said. “Importantly, attendees will learn why they may disagree, which will help them use the guidelines in their clinical practice.”
The expanded programming reflects a broader effort to meet attendees where they are, whether they are early in training or decades into practice.
“This year, we have gone out of our way to increase the educational content relevant to residents and advanced practice providers,” Dr. Penson said. “We wanted to ensure that we addressed the learning needs of these two groups specifically and bring value to all attendees, regardless of their career stage or their professional background.”
Beyond the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, provides a fitting backdrop for a meeting focused on perspective and progress.
“What a great city with world-class restaurants, cultural landmarks and beautiful buildings and monuments,” Dr. Penson said. “Washington is one of my favorite cities in the U.S., and I think it will appeal to domestic and international attendees alike.”
Pressed to recommend just one stop to visit, he didn’t hesitate: the National Air and Space Museum.
“If you’ve never been to DC and have the time to go to only one attraction, don’t miss the National Air and Space Museum,” he said. “There are so many cool things to see there!”
