From training to practice: How one doctor added vasectomy to his scope

Dr Robert Luelf expanded his clinical skills to include vasectomy as part of his ongoing commitment to providing safe and effective men's health and sexual health services. In this Q&A, Dr Luelf shares his training experience, the challenges of establishing vasectomy services in general practice, and his advice for GPs considering the same pathway.

Why did you decide to add vasectomy to your clinical scope?

I decided to add vasectomy into my clinical scope to sit in with my existing focus on men's health and sexual health. My extended skills for GP training were in sexual and reproductive health, and our clinic already had several IUD providers, but there was a gap for vasectomies.

What was your experience like during the HealthCert Education vasectomy course and hands-on workshop?

The HealthCert Education theory course and one-day vasectomy workshop was a great starter to vasectomies. It covered everything from background, anatomy, the process, procedure, and some pitfalls in a very manageable way. The practical component really gave a good idea of what we would be doing later. Vasectomy has aspects similar to other procedures, but it really is a very specific technique.

How did the placement with Dr Raj Selvarajan support your learning and confidence?

Completing the practical placement with Dr Raj Selvarajan gave me everything I needed to get going. He has established a very safe structure for introducing different parts of the procedure during the period, and by the end I was completing them independently. What I most appreciated was being able to keep in touch about cases and continue the learning afterwards.

How difficult was it to start offering vasectomy in your own practice?

The biggest hurdle with establishing vasectomies in my own practice was more marketing and getting the knowledge out there that I am providing the service. The procedure itself isn't the hurdle, but rather the business around it. Dr Selvarajan was a great help to bounce ideas and discuss different approaches that he or other colleagues have used, but it all depends on how you want to operate.

How do patients respond to having this service available in general practice?

Some patients are surprised and assume that only urologists are allowed to do it, and that the patient has to be under general anaesthetic. They are usually very happy to learn it is much simpler than that most of the time. The patients are happy it is simpler, and their partners are happy they made it in to talk about it.

Have you seen a return on investment — clinically, financially, or professionally?

Learning a new skill is rewarding on its own, and it gives me something different to offer in the mix of the wide breadth of general practice presentations. It also helped reduce burnout by being able to shift gear from GP consults to procedural medicine throughout the day. Financially, it does give a boost as well.

Is there one piece of advice you would give to a GP thinking about training in vasectomy?

Give it a go! And practise your one-handed ties.

- Dr Robert Luelf

Learn more about his Hobart vasectomy clinic at www.drrobbie.com.au

Next steps in your learning journey

Want to upskill in the no-scalpel vasectomy method?

Start with HealthCert Education’s Advanced Workshop of Non-Scalpel Vasectomy to build your foundational skills. Then round-out your hands-on vasectomy training with a clinical placement at Dr Raj Selvarajan’s clinic.

🎓 About HealthCert's Advanced Workshop of Non-Scalpel Vasectomy

Gain practical experience in the foundations of non-scalpel vasectomy procedures. The workshop is a smart, flexible, and career-enriching opportunity for GPs in Australia, with workshops available three times a year in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.

If you're looking to enhance your procedural scope or offer more complete care for male patients, this weekend session can help you make vasectomy a valuable part of your clinical offering. ➡️ Explore program now >

Or read an interview with Dr Chaudhry Mansoor Ahmed, another GP who trained in (and now delivers) non-scalpel vasectomies.