As the Division of Urology strives to make an impact in mainland areas across UTMB’s service region, a recent addition to the team is also helping strengthen its presence on Galveston Island.
Steven Socher, MD, describes himself as a “utility player” in the field of urology, seeing patients for a wide variety of urological conditions: “anything related to kidneys or kidney stones, prostates, incontinence, erectile dysfunction,” he says.
Dr. Socher earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School and completed his surgery internship and residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He went on to complete the five-year Urologic Surgery Residency Program at Harvard. He then went to work in Beaumont, TX, where he practiced for 27 years before coming to UTMB.
Since joining UTMB, Dr. Socher appreciates being part of an institution that can provide the full breadth of urologic care. He notes that UTMB has outstanding surgeons currently meeting several important, advanced needs in urology – from implants to cancer care. He says he is happy to refer his patients to colleagues for cases outside his scope of practice.
“What’s left over is probably 80 percent of urology, and that’s really where my practice is,” he says.
He sees his own role as that of a community urologist, helping patients with their everyday health care needs.
Since he has relocated to Galveston, he is a short bike ride – and an even shorter car ride – away from UTMB’s main campus. With many of his colleagues spending more time on the mainland, he has the opportunity to be a regular presence for Galveston patients.
Besides increasing access for the routine urologic procedures patients currently receive at UTMB, Dr. Socher is interested in increasing UTMB’s patient base for vasectomies, a procedure that he sees the opportunity to do more.
He also has experience with lithotripsy, a noninvasive procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney and parts of the ureter. It is not currently available at UTMB, but he hopes to eventually offer it to patients and help train residents on the procedure.
Dr. Socher will work one day a week in Texas City, at a clinic location that shares space with primary care and urgent care, among other specialties. He welcomes the opportunity to increase urology coverage at that location, noting that his years in Beaumont equipped him with plenty of experience handling the kind of urgent care and emergency cases that may be seen by a clinic in such close proximity.