Dr Shaun Smit

Dr Shaun Smit qualified as a urologist in South Africa in 2011 after receiving his post-graduate training at the University of Stellenbosch under the mentorship of the late Prof Chris Heyns. He worked as a specialist urologist at Tygerberg Hospital from 2012 – 2014 gaining valuable experience in urological oncology, laparoscopic surgery and paediatric urology, as well as all aspects of general urology. He was also actively involved as part of the renal transplant program under the leadership of Prof Andre van der Merwe. He received a Diploma in Laparoscopic Urological Surgery obtained from the University of Strasbourg in 2013.

Dr Smit was then employed as a specialist urologist at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, and as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town from 2014 – 2016. At Red Cross Children’s Hospital, he worked in the paediatric urology department under the leadership of Prof John Lazarus, where he gained valuable experience in all aspects of paediatric urology and was involved in the paediatric renal transplant program. During this time, he had a part-time private practice at Netcare UCT Private Academic Hospital.

Dr Smit has been involved in numerous research projects, keeping up to date with the latest developments in his academic fields of interest, which include prostate cancer, urological oncology, radiation cystitis, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, renal transplant surgery and paediatric urology. His post-graduate research involved a prospective observational study of lower urinary tract symptoms in women with cervical cancer receiving radiotherapy with curative intent for which he received a distinction. He has been involved in several publications, one of which includes a systematic review of the management of radiation cystitis published in Nature Reviews Urology in 2010. Please see attached CV for further reference.

Dr Smit is a fellowship-trained robotic surgeon having worked under the mentorship of Prof Chris Anderson at St Georges NHS Hospital Trust, London, United Kingdom for 6 months from April – October 2016. This was a minimally-invasive fellowship that included training in both robotic and laparoscopic surgery aimed at treating malignancies of the prostate, bladder and kidney.

Dr Smit has been in full-time private practice in partnership with Dr Stephen Eppel at the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial in Cape Town since October 2016. His private practice continues to reflect his academic interests, and he retains strong professional ties with his previous mentors. He is an accredited robotic surgeon after having completed his training under the proctorship of Dr Greg Boustead, and offers robotic surgery to patients with prostate cancer. He has developed a keen interest in Penile Reconstructive Surgery and is collaborating with Prof Andre van der Merwe in this endeavour.

Dr Smit enjoys spending time with his young family who manage to keeping him humble and honest. He also likes to spend as much time on the golf course as his wife, Michelle, will allow him.