Joseph Davis, M.D., is retiring after practicing for 40 years. He joined the Department of Urology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine in January 2012, after having been in private practice in Montgomery for the previous 27 years.

“It was a life calling to be a physician. The lives of myself and my family have been enriched by the colleagues, patients, and friends that I otherwise would not have made along the way. It is certainly a bittersweet event, but I am excited about the next chapter,” said Dr. Davis.

Dr. Davis is leaving behind some words of wisdom to future urologists.

“Take every opportunity to learn and take advantage of the knowledge and experience you have available to you at an institution, like UAB. It is easy to be distracted when in that phase of life, remind yourself that there will be plenty of time to apply to yourself to outside interests once you begin practicing. You only get one opportunity to receive a formal education. Take advantage of it!”

“Remember to always treat patients as if they were members of your own family. When working with patients, step back and ask yourself, ‘How would I want my mother, father, sister, brother, or child to be cared for?’ Think about this not only when meeting with patients face-to-face, but also in your administrative responsibilities. Sure, you can have a nurse or other assistant call a patient if they have a question, concern, or are preparing for a procedure, but consider that you, as the physician, are the one they want to hear from. This has been my goal throughout my career when working with patients. I have not always been perfect at it, but I hope that the ethos improved the quality of care I have been able to provide.”

“I was once told that the greatest ability of all is availability. This includes being available to your family, your friends, and your patients when they need you most. Always remember that people cannot control when they get sick and that medicine is not a ‘9 to 5’ job or a ‘Monday to Friday’ job, it is a job that requires you to be there when a patient needs you. Sure, work/life balance is important, but never forget what you’re being called to do and who you’re being called to serve as a medical professional.”

Dr. Davis says the most rewarding part of his career was knowing that in a time of need, when a patient is in pain, scared, or uneasy, that he may have been able to make their lives a little easier and more peaceful.

“I am always reminded of this when patients and/or their families stop you in the grocery store or around town and thank you for your care.”

Urology practice has changed since Dr. Davis began his career 40 years ago.

“Technology, of course, has dramatically changed the way I practiced urology. If you had told me in 1980 that I would be able to see the inside of a patient’s kidney with a small scope, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now I’ve been doing that for 30 years! Technology has also changed the way I worked administratively, with charting, patient communications, and other tasks now taking place on the computer. It’s important to remember that technology is there to enhance our care, so don’t ever let technology serve as a substitute for the critical human component of our roles.”

Dr. Davis was in private practice for 27 years before joining the UAB Department of Urology faculty. He says it is much more difficult now to have a solo practice.

“It can be expensive, risky, and requires a lot more work to start and maintain your business. But if you ever have the desire and/or the opportunity to start a solo practice, do it. It was a joy. It allowed me to build a team that was devoted to patient care and allowed us to provide the level of care that we wanted for our patients. It was truly a family-like atmosphere where we were able to build relationships with our patients and their families.”

Dr. Davis will retire at the end of December. He plans to spend a lot of time in the mountains with his wife, Ruth, children, grandchildren, and friends. He has already picked up a hobby carving wood and looks forward to picking up a few more along the way.