Andrologist vs urologist: what is the difference?

Published 22 October 2026

In the UK, the surgical side of andrology sits within urology: the British Association of Urological Surgeons runs it as a specialist section covering erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, male infertility, urethral stricture and penile cancer. So the real question is rarely andrologist or urologist, but whether the urologist you are about to see genuinely specialises in your problem. This page explains the overlap, which conditions sit with each, and how to check a consultant’s andrology credentials.

What is the difference between an andrologist and a urologist?

A urologist is a surgeon who treats conditions of the urinary tract in men and women — kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — and of the male reproductive organs, including the prostate. An andrologist concentrates on one part of that territory: male reproductive and sexual health, and surgery of the penis, testicles and urethra. In the UK, surgical andrologists are urologists; most urologists are not andrologists.

The reason is practical. The organs involved are part of the genitourinary tract every urologist trains in, and many andrology treatments are operations — microsurgery on the testicle, straightening the penis, fitting an implant, rebuilding a narrowed urethra. Those need a full surgical training first, then repetition on a narrower range of problems. The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) reflects this by running andrology as one of its specialist sections, whose remit also takes in rarer conditions such as buried penis.

Andrology also has a medical and laboratory side, and hormone problems in particular may be shared with endocrinologists. This page is about the surgical side: urologists with andrology training.

What does an andrologist do?

An andrologist diagnoses and treats problems of male sexual function, fertility and the genitals — particularly problems that are complex, have not responded to first-line treatment, or need specialist surgery. In practice that includes:

• Erectile dysfunction that has not responded to tablets, followed prostate cancer treatment, or may need an implant (see erectile dysfunction)
• Peyronie’s disease — curvature, pain or a plaque in the penis, from assessment through to reconstructive surgery (see Peyronie’s disease)
• Male infertility, including an abnormal semen analysis, no sperm in the ejaculate, varicocele and surgical sperm retrieval (see male fertility)
• Low testosterone, especially where fertility, testicular problems or sexual function are part of the picture
• Urethral stricture and other conditions that need genito-urethral reconstruction
• Ejaculation problems, blood in the semen, and persistent testicular pain where the cause has not been found

Much of the work is diagnostic. Is an erection problem mainly vascular, hormonal, neurological or psychological? Is a low sperm count a production problem or a blockage? Has a curve stopped changing, so that correcting it makes sense? The answers decide which treatment is worth having, so andrology training is as much about judgement — including when not to operate — as about operating.

Which conditions does a general urologist treat?

A general urologist covers the broad base of the specialty: urinary symptoms, blood in the urine, infection, kidney stones, incontinence, prostate enlargement, a raised PSA, and cancers of the kidney, bladder and prostate.

General urologists also manage many men’s health problems themselves — straightforward erectile dysfunction, a vasectomy, a simple hydrocele. They tend to refer on when the problem is unusual, has not responded to standard treatment, or needs an operation they do not perform regularly. See general urology for the everyday range.

Andrologist vs urologist at a glance

The training row describes the usual UK pathway; individual careers vary.

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Where do andrology and urology overlap?

The overlap is large, and for several conditions either specialist is a reasonable first contact:

• After prostate cancer treatment. Urinary control and erections are often both affected. The cancer itself is managed by the urology and oncology teams, while recovering erections is a core andrology problem — see life after prostate cancer surgery.
• Low testosterone. Urologists, endocrinologists and GPs all manage it. Fertility is where the specialties meet: testosterone treatment can suppress the body’s own sperm production, so a man who still hopes to have children needs that weighed before treatment starts — see testosterone replacement therapy.
• Testicular lumps, blood in the semen and pelvic pain. Any urologist can assess these, and persistent or unexplained cases may benefit from someone who sees a lot of them. A new lump in a testicle should be checked promptly: the NHS advises an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111.

Being referred from one to the other is therefore a normal part of good care, not a sign that something was missed.

Should I see an andrologist or a urologist?

See a general urologist if your main problem is passing urine, blood in the urine, the kidneys or bladder, or a raised PSA. Consider a urologist who subspecialises in andrology if the problem is sexual, fertility-related or genital, particularly if:

• erection problems continue despite treatment from your GP or a sexual health clinic
• you have noticed a new curve, lump or pain in the penis
• a semen analysis has come back abnormal, or showed no sperm at all
• you are weighing up vasectomy reversal against sperm retrieval for IVF (see vasectomy reversal vs sperm retrieval)
• a urethral stricture has been diagnosed, or has come back after treatment

For many men the right first step is neither. The NHS advises seeing a GP or going to a sexual health clinic if erection problems keep happening; both can provide first-line treatment. A specialist becomes useful when that has not worked or the cause is unclear.

Some andrology problems are emergencies. The NHS advises calling 999 or going to A&E if an erection lasts more than 3 to 4 hours, or if you have sickle cell disease and a painful erection lasts more than 1 hour. Go to A&E immediately or call 999 if you have sudden, severe pain in a testicle, testicle pain with feeling or being sick or pain in your tummy, or testicle pain that has lasted more than an hour or continues when you are resting. Twisting of the testicle (torsion) can lead to its loss if it is not treated quickly. For a lump, swelling or aching you are worried about, ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111. Do not wait for a private appointment.

How can you check whether a consultant genuinely specialises in andrology?

Look at training, current practice and standing among other urologists — not the label on a profile. “Andrologist” describes the work a doctor does. In the UK, andrology is practised within urology, so a consultant urologist’s register entry shows urology rather than andrology, and a doctor can list andrology as an interest without having trained in it. No single check settles it; together they give a reliable picture.

1. The GMC Specialist Register: urology

Search the doctor’s name or GMC number on the General Medical Council’s online register. For a consultant urological surgeon you would expect a licence to practise and an entry on the Specialist Register in urology, through UK training or a route the GMC recognises as equivalent. The register confirms the foundation, but the entry will show urology rather than andrology. Necessary, not sufficient.

2. Fellowship training in andrology

Ask where the consultant did their subspecialty training and what it covered. BAUS describes post-CCT fellowships as one- or two-year posts, usually in centres of excellence, that provide additional training at subspecialty level. For andrology, this is where surgeons gain supervised experience of microsurgery, penile surgery and reconstruction. The European Academy of Andrology, an association of andrology scientists and clinicians, separately accredits andrology training centres.

3. How much of their practice is andrology

Ask what proportion of their week is andrology, and roughly how often they perform the procedure you are considering. A subspecialist does a narrow range of operations repeatedly; a general urologist may do a particular andrology operation only occasionally. There is no official threshold to look up, so what matters is a straight answer — and a willingness to refer you on.

4. Involvement in the BAUS andrology section

The professional group for this work is the BAUS Section of Andrology & Genito-Urethral Surgery. It was first formed in 2003 as the Section of Andrology, and took its current name in June 2009 to reflect the inclusion of genito-urethral reconstruction. Membership alone is a modest signal, because registered BAUS members may join up to three specialist sections, plus Urolink, relevant to their practice. More telling are elected roles on the section’s executive committee (published on the BAUS website), teaching on its courses, and contributing to its audit and research.

5. Teaching, research and publications

Searching a consultant’s name on PubMed, the free database of medical literature, shows whether they have published on your condition. Publications do not measure surgical skill, but a sustained record shows where a consultant’s attention has been for years.

6. Who other urologists refer to

Perhaps the most useful test is where the profession sends its own difficult cases. Ask your GP or general urologist who they would refer a family member to for this problem. A consultant who regularly receives referrals from other urologists has been judged by people who know what the work involves.

7. Whether they discuss the full range of options

A subspecialist should set out every reasonable option — including non-surgical treatment and, where safe, doing nothing for now — and the evidence behind each. Be cautious of any service that offers the same treatment to almost every patient, or steers you towards a procedure at the first appointment.

The checks in brief:

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What do online directories of andrologists actually measure?

Mostly information that does not measure subspecialty training. A profile usually shows the interests a doctor chooses to list, so a listing under “andrology” does not by itself show training in it, and directory listings may draw on reviews or criteria that are not always published.

Reviews say a lot about communication and kindness, but nothing about whether a surgeon trained in a particular operation. Use a directory as a starting point, then apply the checks above.

How do you find an andrologist in London?

There are two routes. Within the NHS, your GP refers you, usually to a local urology department first; more complex andrology problems may then be referred on to a specialist andrology team. Privately, if you are paying for your own care, you can choose the consultant and book directly, with no GP referral. If you are using private medical insurance, check which consultants your policy covers; your insurer will usually require a GP referral and pre-authorisation before the appointment — see fees and insurance.

Andrology decisions often rest on results gathered over months or years — semen analyses, hormone tests, scans, previous letters. Bring copies. Our guide to your first urology appointment explains what to expect.

Who would you see at The Andrology Centre?

You would see one of three specialists: Mr Maj Shabbir (GMC 4435916) and Ms Raveen Kaur Sandher (GMC 6159229), both Consultant Urological Surgeons whose practice covers andrology, male infertility, microsurgery and genito-urethral reconstruction, or Ms Elsie Mensah (GMC 6159323), Urology Specialist, whose work covers bladder cancer, benign prostatic enlargement (BPH) and prostate cancer diagnostics. Mr Shabbir is Clinical Lead of The Andrology Centre and a past National Chair for Andrology at BAUS. All three practise at Guy’s & St Thomas’, named by Newsweek in 2025 as the number one urology service in Europe.

We list GMC numbers so that you can look each of our specialists up on the GMC register; more detail is on our consultants page. To arrange an appointment, call +44 7889 318584 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm) or email contact@theandrologycentre.co.uk, and say briefly what the problem is so that you can be booked with the most appropriate specialist.

Frequently asked questions

References and further reading