Advanced Practice Provider Education Center

Welcome to the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Education Center

The APP Education Center is a premier resource designed for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and allied health professionals, offering timely and accurate education on urologic conditions, diseases, and procedures. Expert clinicians share their insights and expertise, ensuring that APPs receive practical, up-to-date knowledge to enhance patient care.

Whether you are new to urology or seeking the latest updates in urologic care, this site provides targeted, high-quality education to support your professional growth and clinical excellence.

Dr. Diane K. Newman is an Adjunct Professor of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. She is the former Co-Director of the Penn Center for Continence and Pelvic Health, Division of Urology, Penn Medicine, in Philadelphia. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Urologic Nurses and Associates. She is certified as an adult nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and Board Certified in Biofeedback for Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.

Dr. Newman has 35+ years of experience practicing as a urology advanced practice provider and continence nurse specialist. Her clinical expertise involves the evaluation, treatment, and management of urinary incontinence, bladder dysfunction, and related problems, including the use of catheters and other devices in the management of bladder and pelvic floor conditions. Throughout her career, she has evaluated and treated men and women with urologic disorders in multiple settings: acute care, long-term, and home care, with 23 years in an ambulatory practice at the Division of Urology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr Newman is an internationally known educator. She has been at the forefront of urology nursing education on conservative treatments for lower urinary tract dysfunction. She developed a curriculum on urology nursing, training nurses in Hong Kong and Mainland China from 1994 to the present. Since the start of her career in urology, she has conducted NIH and industry-funded research in several urologic areas: incontinence, overactive bladder, pelvic floor disorders, use of catheters, and other devices. She was the lead editor of the 1st edition of SUNA’s Core Curriculum for Urologic Nursing and Clinical Application of Urologic Catheters, Devices and Products. Click here for Curriculum Vitae.

Hillary Durstein, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CUNP, FAUNA, is a Certified Urologic Nurse Practitioner and a Fellow of the Academy of Urologic Nurses and Associates in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has practiced in general urology since 2016, with a subspeciality in advanced prostate cancer. In 2024, Ms. Durstein received the “Member of the Year” award from the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA). She has been a member of the conference planning committee for the SUNA UroLogic Conference (2020, 2021, 2022) as well as, a speaker at SUNA and the American Urological Association (AUA) conferences. Ms. Durstein is a chapter author of the publications Manual of Men’s Health, The Nurse Practitioner in Urology 2nd Edition and a reviewer for SUNA Core Curriculum for Urologic Nursing – 2nd Edition.  She is a Major in the Army Reserve Nurse Corps, serving since 2008.

Les Madore, PA-C, is a Certified Physician Assistant with over 15 yrs experience in urology. He currently practices at Alta View Clinic – Urology, Intermountain Health in Sandy, Utah.  He has a special interest in male and female sexual health and other functional urology conditions. Mr. Madore’s expertise has been shared with colleagues at many venues, including as an invited speaker at the American Urological Association (AUA) and Urological Association of Physician Assistants (UAPA) conferences.

Rachel Shapiro is a board-certified Physician Assistant (PA) specializing in Urology with a clinical focus on benign urologic conditions, voiding dysfunction, neurogenic bladder, and transition care for patients with congenital urologic conditions. As the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Supervisor for the Department of Urology at UC San Diego Health, she oversees APP onboarding, clinical productivity, utilization, and career development.

At UC San Diego Health, Rachel has served as Chair of both the Advanced Practice Council and the Clinical Ladder Committee and currently serves on the APP Oversight Committee. She is actively involved in clinical research as a sub-investigator in several urologic trials and contributes to the education of urology residents and fellows, particularly in the areas of urodynamics and neurourology.

A trailblazer in fluoroscopy education, Rachel became one of the first two PAs in California to obtain a fluoroscopy license. She founded the Fluoroscopy Education Program for Allied Health Professionals at UCSD, which continues to train and graduate new students.

Rachel earned her Master of Science in Health Sciences for PAs from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Music from Barnard College and in Jewish Law from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Rachel is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is an active member of the American Urological Association (AUA), the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), and the California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA).

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys cycling, traveling, and spending time with her husband and three children.

Katie Wall, MSN, FNP-C, FAUNA is a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a Fellow of the Academy of Urologic Nurses and Associates. She manages adult urologic, urogynecologic, and gynecologic diagnoses in office practice and hospitals. She has experience in performing all urologic procedures including neuromodulation, pessary insertion, bladder irrigation, and male ED treatments.  She was a Director at Large on the Board of Directors of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates, received the SUNA AZ Chapter of the Year Award, and was the recipient of the 2022 SUNA President’s Award.  Ms. Wall has held multiple positions in the Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council, including President.  Ms Wall was recognized for her strong commitment to NPs, receiving the 2022 AANP State Award for Clinical Excellence in NP Practice.  She has numerous publications on urology practice and is an invited speaker at major conferences.