Introduction: The AUA Earl Nation Retrospectroscope Award is presented annually to the winner of the previous year’s History of Urology Forum’s best presentation and paper, decided by the voting members of the AUA History Committee. The history of this prestigious award is not widely known. Methods: We reviewed contemporaneous documents and the book “Urology. A View Through the Retrospectroscope” by John R. Herman, regarding the creation of the AUA Earl Nation Retrospectroscope Award to document the background and history of this award. Results: At the 1965 AUA annual meeting, Frank Bicknell organized and moderated with Elmer Belt 5 presentations at the initial meeting of the History of Urology Club, which became the Forum on the History of Urology in 1975. At the 2005 meeting, Shamim Baker gave a stunning presentation on the Tuskegee experiment to the History Forum, which renewed the desire by the AUA History Committee to give a prize to the best history presentation at the annual History of Urology Forum. At this same time, many urologists were donating their old Brown-Buerger cystoscopes (often referred to as the original ‘workhorse’ of urology) to the Didusch Museum, as they transitioned to fiberoptics. In 2006, the AUA Board of Directors approved the presenting of a History award and ACMI, the company that produced the Brown-Buerger Cystoscope, agreed to be the sponsor. A proposed name ‘The Rusty Cystoscope Award’ was deemed ‘too tarnished’, and the name came from John Herman’s 1973 history book ‘A View Through the Retrospectroscope’. Gyrus-ACMI reprinted the book and presented the book with a boxed and refurbished Brown-Buerger cystoscope to Baker at the 2006 meeting, as the winner of ‘The Retrospectroscope Award’. In 2008 the award was renamed ‘The AUA Earl Nation Retrospectroscope Award’ to honor former AUA President Earl Nation (1910-2008), a founder of the American Osler Society (an organization dedicated to medical history), and the 2002 Ramon Guiteras winner for his contributions to the art and science of urology. In 2014 the AUA assumed funding for all awards. Conclusions: While the History of Urology Club has been around since 1965, an award for the best presentation has only been awarded since 2006. The AUA website lists prior award winners. The History of Urology Forum has significantly increased in popularity from the original 5 presentations in 1965 to 21 podium presentations and 14 posters in 2022. As competition for the ‘AUA Earl Nation Retrospectroscope Award’ has increased, contenders must submit a completed manuscript in addition to their presentation. SOURCE OF Funding: None
