Meet Our Physicians

Melissa Kaufman, MD, PhD

Bio:

Dr. Melissa R. Kaufman is Professor, Patricia and Rodes Hart Endowed Chair of Urologic Surgery, and Chief of the Division of Reconstructive Urology and Pelvic Health at Vanderbilt Medical Center.   She received her B.A. from Washington University – St. Louis and Ph.D. in Microbial Genetics at the University of Tennessee.  Following postdoctoral research at Stanford and completion of medical school in her home state of Arkansas, Dr. Kaufman commenced her Urology residency at Vanderbilt in 2002.  She completed fellowship training in both Male Reconstruction and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery in 2009 at Vanderbilt.

Dr. Kaufman’s practice focuses on female and male voiding dysfunction and incontinence, cancer survivorship, pelvic organ prolapse, neurourology, transitional care for congenital urologic conditions, urologic prosthetics, transgender surgery, as well as reconstructive surgery for urethral stricture, fistula, and trauma.  She currently serves as the global principal investigator for a pivotal Phase III clinical trial to pioneer the first application of autologous cell therapy for Urologic indications.  She has dedicated substantial effort on behalf of the AUA membership with service on the Practice Guidelines Committee, Core Curriculum Committee, and Medical Student Urological Curriculum Committee.  She currently serves as the Guideline panel Chair for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. She was named the 2019 AUA Young Urologist of the Year.  She is additionally an Associate Editor for The Journal of Urology and past president of the Society of Women in Urology.   Dr. Kaufman was honored as the 2017 recipient of the Zimskind award from the Society for Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction for outstanding contributions within 10 years of completion of training.