Meghan F. Davis, MD, MPH, recently joined the Division of Urology here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as an attending pediatric urologist. After completing her fellowship at CHOP in 2025, she was thrilled to continue her career among the colleagues and mentors who inspired her training.
Dr. Davis specializes in hypospadias and complex reconstruction, neurogenic bladder, and voiding dysfunction. She sees patients at CHOP’s Philadelphia Campus (Buerger Center), King of Prussia and Brandywine Valley locations.
Below, Dr. Davis shares more about her clinical interests, her collaborative approach to care and the research that drives her practice.
Question: What first drew you to pediatric urology, and how did your path lead you to CHOP?
Dr. Davis: I feel very lucky to be at CHOP. It’s such an incredible place, and I think anyone in pediatric urology would be interested in training here. Like many others, I was drawn to the opportunity to learn from leaders in the field and care for a wide variety of patients.
The full spectrum of disease processes we get to manage, from children with incontinence to those with congenital issues requiring long-term care, is what drew me to pediatric urology specifically. Some of our patients need only medical management, while others have surgical disease. I really enjoy that variety and the range of tools we have at our disposal to help children and families.
My fellowship experience at CHOP gave me exposure to so many different types of cases and an incredible depth of mentorship. Because CHOP is a large referral center, I gained experience treating both common and complex conditions.
What made you decide to stay on as an attending after fellowship?
When you’re starting your practice, you want to be in an environment where you have great partners — people whose experience you can draw on as you continue to grow. Pediatric urology is such a broad field and there’s always something new to learn.
CHOP offers that level of support and collaboration. There are so many resources available to help provide the best care for patients. For example, we have uropsychologists who are an important part of management for children with voiding or bladder dysfunction. We also have an exceptional nursing team that performs complex testing, such as urodynamics, and administrative support that coordinates care for families who often require multiple appointments.
That level of coordination makes a huge difference. It allows me to provide the highest quality of care, knowing that I have those systems and people in place.
CHOP also has tremendous research support, which is very important to me. I was able to begin projects during fellowship, particularly in surgical ergonomics, and it’s been exciting to continue that work here as an attending.
Can you describe your key clinical interests?
My primary interests are neurogenic bladder, voiding dysfunction and complex reconstruction.
Neurogenic bladder includes many of our spina bifida patients, but it also involves children with other congenital anomalies or acquired causes, like spinal cord injury or a tumor that affects bladder function.
I also care for children with voiding dysfunction, which is the focus of our DOVE Center for Voiding and Bladder Function. Children’s symptoms and my management approaches can overlap with neurogenic bladder. That’s part of what makes this area so interesting — it’s a spectrum of conditions that all affect how a child empties the bladder, and we have to tailor care for each one.
Finally, I’m interested in complex reconstruction, which often comes into play for children with neurogenic bladder who need surgery to make their bladder safe or to achieve continence later in life. These cases are relatively rare but incredibly meaningful because they can have such a long-term impact on a child’s quality of life.
Are there specific conditions or patient populations you gravitate toward?
I really enjoy caring for children with spina bifida and those with posterior urethral valves. Both of these groups can experience significant bladder dysfunction, and they often require long-term follow up and multidisciplinary care.
I also see patients with voiding dysfunction through the DOVE program, and there’s overlap between them. It’s rewarding to help families work through these challenges and find solutions that improve their child’s comfort and confidence.
What multidisciplinary collaborations are you involved in at CHOP?
I’m part of the Spina Bifida Program, which is an interdisciplinary clinic that includes the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Neurosurgery and the Division of Urology, among others. It’s a really collaborative environment. Each discipline brings a unique perspective, and together we can develop comprehensive care plans for these patients.
Within urology, the DOVE clinic is more internally focused, but I also work closely with psychologists and pelvic floor physical therapists who are experienced in working with children. That’s a huge benefit because voiding dysfunction and bladder issues can have emotional and behavioral components. Having those specialists embedded within our program allows us to address all aspects of a child’s well-being.
CHOP is pretty unique in this way. Not every hospital has psychologists or pelvic floor physical therapists within their urology division, and it makes a big difference, both for families and for us as providers.
How would you describe your approach to patient care and working with referring providers?
I really value a collaborative approach. For children with bladder or voiding issues, there’s often interplay with other medical conditions, so communicating with their pediatrician or other specialists is essential. I make a point to reach out directly and have those conversations, not just rely on notes in the chart.
With families, I see my role as a partner in their child’s care. They know their child best, and I want them to feel supported and informed as we make decisions together. That’s especially important for children with chronic or lifelong urologic conditions.
Ultimately, I want referring providers to know that I’m eager to collaborate — to share information, coordinate care and make the process as seamless as possible for their patients.
You’ve published research on robotic surgery and surgical ergonomics. What does that work focus on?
My main research interest is surgical ergonomics, which is really about how surgeons can perform their work safely and sustainably. It involves studying posture, positioning and efficiency in the operating room, all the factors that contribute to a surgeon’s physical well-being and long-term career longevity.
During my fellowship, I conducted a project looking at how surgeon ergonomics might contribute to musculoskeletal pain. It’s a complex issue because it involves the surgeon’s positioning and technique, the setup of the operating room, and even the design of the equipment we use.
Pediatric urology involves a lot of fine, detailed work — micro-surgeries, repetitive movements and static postures. Over time, those factors can lead to discomfort or injury. Surgeons aren’t typically taught how to protect themselves physically, the way athletes are trained to move safely. I think that’s an important gap to address.
CHOP and our partners, Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania, have great resources to study this. I’m excited to continue exploring how to teach and apply good ergonomic practices across surgical fields.
I’m also interested in robotic surgery as a minimally invasive technique. I’ve done some work in that area and continue to explore how robotic approaches can be applied effectively in pediatric urology.
How has your public health background shaped your practice?
My Master of Public Health (MPH) training helps me think beyond the medical issue to consider the broader social, cultural and environmental factors that affect a child’s condition and how families experience it. It also gives me a framework for population-based research, which complements my clinical work.
What are you most looking forward to in your new attending role?
As a trainee, you often see patients intermittently — in the hospital or clinic — but you don’t always get to follow them in the long term. Now, I’m really looking forward to building those lasting relationships with families.
That’s one of the reasons I enjoy caring for children with spina bifida or other chronic conditions. You see them regularly, you get to know them over time, and you can really see the impact of your care as they grow. That continuity is something I’m very excited about.
Finally, what stands out to you about CHOP’s Division of Urology?
CHOP’s coordination of care is exceptional. There’s an infrastructure here that makes complex care manageable for families. From scheduling and testing to collaboration across specialties, everything is designed to support the child and the family.
It’s also a place that invests in its clinicians — in research, education and teamwork. I think that combination is what makes CHOP such a special place to work and for families to receive care.
To discuss a challenging case or learn more about our approaches to bladder or voiding dysfunction, please reach out to me at DavisM22@chop.edu.
Featured in this article
Experts
Specialties & Programs
Meghan F. Davis, MD, MPH, recently joined the Division of Urology here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as an attending pediatric urologist. After completing her fellowship at CHOP in 2025, she was thrilled to continue her career among the colleagues and mentors who inspired her training.
Dr. Davis specializes in hypospadias and complex reconstruction, neurogenic bladder, and voiding dysfunction. She sees patients at CHOP’s Philadelphia Campus (Buerger Center), King of Prussia and Brandywine Valley locations.
Below, Dr. Davis shares more about her clinical interests, her collaborative approach to care and the research that drives her practice.
Question: What first drew you to pediatric urology, and how did your path lead you to CHOP?
Dr. Davis: I feel very lucky to be at CHOP. It’s such an incredible place, and I think anyone in pediatric urology would be interested in training here. Like many others, I was drawn to the opportunity to learn from leaders in the field and care for a wide variety of patients.
The full spectrum of disease processes we get to manage, from children with incontinence to those with congenital issues requiring long-term care, is what drew me to pediatric urology specifically. Some of our patients need only medical management, while others have surgical disease. I really enjoy that variety and the range of tools we have at our disposal to help children and families.
My fellowship experience at CHOP gave me exposure to so many different types of cases and an incredible depth of mentorship. Because CHOP is a large referral center, I gained experience treating both common and complex conditions.
What made you decide to stay on as an attending after fellowship?
When you’re starting your practice, you want to be in an environment where you have great partners — people whose experience you can draw on as you continue to grow. Pediatric urology is such a broad field and there’s always something new to learn.
CHOP offers that level of support and collaboration. There are so many resources available to help provide the best care for patients. For example, we have uropsychologists who are an important part of management for children with voiding or bladder dysfunction. We also have an exceptional nursing team that performs complex testing, such as urodynamics, and administrative support that coordinates care for families who often require multiple appointments.
That level of coordination makes a huge difference. It allows me to provide the highest quality of care, knowing that I have those systems and people in place.
CHOP also has tremendous research support, which is very important to me. I was able to begin projects during fellowship, particularly in surgical ergonomics, and it’s been exciting to continue that work here as an attending.
Can you describe your key clinical interests?
My primary interests are neurogenic bladder, voiding dysfunction and complex reconstruction.
Neurogenic bladder includes many of our spina bifida patients, but it also involves children with other congenital anomalies or acquired causes, like spinal cord injury or a tumor that affects bladder function.
I also care for children with voiding dysfunction, which is the focus of our DOVE Center for Voiding and Bladder Function. Children’s symptoms and my management approaches can overlap with neurogenic bladder. That’s part of what makes this area so interesting — it’s a spectrum of conditions that all affect how a child empties the bladder, and we have to tailor care for each one.
Finally, I’m interested in complex reconstruction, which often comes into play for children with neurogenic bladder who need surgery to make their bladder safe or to achieve continence later in life. These cases are relatively rare but incredibly meaningful because they can have such a long-term impact on a child’s quality of life.
Are there specific conditions or patient populations you gravitate toward?
I really enjoy caring for children with spina bifida and those with posterior urethral valves. Both of these groups can experience significant bladder dysfunction, and they often require long-term follow up and multidisciplinary care.
I also see patients with voiding dysfunction through the DOVE program, and there’s overlap between them. It’s rewarding to help families work through these challenges and find solutions that improve their child’s comfort and confidence.
What multidisciplinary collaborations are you involved in at CHOP?
I’m part of the Spina Bifida Program, which is an interdisciplinary clinic that includes the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Neurosurgery and the Division of Urology, among others. It’s a really collaborative environment. Each discipline brings a unique perspective, and together we can develop comprehensive care plans for these patients.
Within urology, the DOVE clinic is more internally focused, but I also work closely with psychologists and pelvic floor physical therapists who are experienced in working with children. That’s a huge benefit because voiding dysfunction and bladder issues can have emotional and behavioral components. Having those specialists embedded within our program allows us to address all aspects of a child’s well-being.
CHOP is pretty unique in this way. Not every hospital has psychologists or pelvic floor physical therapists within their urology division, and it makes a big difference, both for families and for us as providers.
How would you describe your approach to patient care and working with referring providers?
I really value a collaborative approach. For children with bladder or voiding issues, there’s often interplay with other medical conditions, so communicating with their pediatrician or other specialists is essential. I make a point to reach out directly and have those conversations, not just rely on notes in the chart.
With families, I see my role as a partner in their child’s care. They know their child best, and I want them to feel supported and informed as we make decisions together. That’s especially important for children with chronic or lifelong urologic conditions.
Ultimately, I want referring providers to know that I’m eager to collaborate — to share information, coordinate care and make the process as seamless as possible for their patients.
You’ve published research on robotic surgery and surgical ergonomics. What does that work focus on?
My main research interest is surgical ergonomics, which is really about how surgeons can perform their work safely and sustainably. It involves studying posture, positioning and efficiency in the operating room, all the factors that contribute to a surgeon’s physical well-being and long-term career longevity.
During my fellowship, I conducted a project looking at how surgeon ergonomics might contribute to musculoskeletal pain. It’s a complex issue because it involves the surgeon’s positioning and technique, the setup of the operating room, and even the design of the equipment we use.
Pediatric urology involves a lot of fine, detailed work — micro-surgeries, repetitive movements and static postures. Over time, those factors can lead to discomfort or injury. Surgeons aren’t typically taught how to protect themselves physically, the way athletes are trained to move safely. I think that’s an important gap to address.
CHOP and our partners, Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania, have great resources to study this. I’m excited to continue exploring how to teach and apply good ergonomic practices across surgical fields.
I’m also interested in robotic surgery as a minimally invasive technique. I’ve done some work in that area and continue to explore how robotic approaches can be applied effectively in pediatric urology.
How has your public health background shaped your practice?
My Master of Public Health (MPH) training helps me think beyond the medical issue to consider the broader social, cultural and environmental factors that affect a child’s condition and how families experience it. It also gives me a framework for population-based research, which complements my clinical work.
What are you most looking forward to in your new attending role?
As a trainee, you often see patients intermittently — in the hospital or clinic — but you don’t always get to follow them in the long term. Now, I’m really looking forward to building those lasting relationships with families.
That’s one of the reasons I enjoy caring for children with spina bifida or other chronic conditions. You see them regularly, you get to know them over time, and you can really see the impact of your care as they grow. That continuity is something I’m very excited about.
Finally, what stands out to you about CHOP’s Division of Urology?
CHOP’s coordination of care is exceptional. There’s an infrastructure here that makes complex care manageable for families. From scheduling and testing to collaboration across specialties, everything is designed to support the child and the family.
It’s also a place that invests in its clinicians — in research, education and teamwork. I think that combination is what makes CHOP such a special place to work and for families to receive care.
To discuss a challenging case or learn more about our approaches to bladder or voiding dysfunction, please reach out to me at DavisM22@chop.edu.
Contact us
Division of Urology