At Female Urology of Nashville, medicine is more than diagnosis and treatment. It is a deeply personal mission. The clinic’s all female team, led by Dr. Marcy Abel, Dr. Tara Allen, and Dr. Ly Hoang Roberts, blends clinical excellence with empathy, creating a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered.
Each of these physicians has forged a remarkable career in a highly specialized field, shaped by the experiences that first drew them to medicine and continue to inspire their passion for female urology today.
For Dr. Abel, the path began early. “I was exposed to urology at the young age of 7 when I dealt with a congenital abnormality of my kidney,” she recalls. “From there, I was naturally drawn to urology and a future in medicine.” Though she practiced general urology for years, she always felt most fulfilled working with women and focusing on reconstructive female urology.
Dr. Hoang Roberts’ journey is rooted in family and global service. “My family has deep roots in medicine starting with my grandfather in Vietnam,” she says. “A medical mission trip in Angola, where I repaired complex fistulas for mothers, cemented my love and respect for medicine and showed me how often female health is neglected.” The experience, she adds, opened her eyes to the need for better women’s health care both abroad and at home.
Dr. Allen’s calling was sparked by a personal childhood memory. “Growing up on a farm, I had a grandmother who was so healthy she could herd cattle on foot well into her 80s, but during this activity she would soak her clothes every time,” she says. “It pained me to see how someone so healthy dealt with something so humiliating that I now know was so easy to fix.” That early exposure, she explains, made the quality of life issues in urology resonate deeply with her.
Female Urology of Nashville distinguishes itself not only through expertise but also through heartfelt compassion and a shared mission to elevate the lives of the women they serve.
“Our mission is to provide a focused clinic tailored to the urologic needs of women that is different from what you would find in a general urology practice,” Dr. Abel explains. “Every decision, from waiting room decor to staff training, centers around truly caring for our patients and improving the symptoms that brought them in.”
Dr. Allen echoes that sentiment, adding that the clinic’s environment is intentionally warm, welcoming, and personal. “When women are seen in our clinic, they leave feeling like they have just visited a friend and are excited about the adventures we are going to take together,” she says. “By loving what we do and loving the population we focus on, we are able to make treatments that could be daunting seem well within reach for everyone.”
From incontinence to pelvic floor disorders, many of the conditions these physicians treat are common yet often kept private. Breaking that silence and empowering women to seek help is a cornerstone of their work.
“Statistics show that 40 percent of people will suffer from incontinence and 30 percent of women experience pelvic organ prolapse,” Dr. Abel notes. “When patients come to us after being dismissed elsewhere and finally feel understood, that is empowering.”
Dr. Hoang Roberts adds, “Many women chalk their symptoms up to age or childbirth, but just because something is common doesn’t make it normal. If it bothers you, you don’t have to live like that. We can help.”
Dr. Allen has noticed a cultural shift as well. “Social media has been wonderful in giving exposure to these issues,” she says. “Women are venting their frustrations and learning their options a lot of times before they even get into the office. I believe we are entering a new era of women who do not accept that it is ok to leak.”
Together, the three physicians represent one of the rare all female urology teams in medicine, a dynamic that shapes both their care and their connection to patients.
“We appreciate that women are the cornerstone of their partners, children, and parents,” says Dr. Abel. “Our mission is to treat each other and our patients as women caring for women.”
Dr. Hoang Roberts agrees. “Patients appreciate being heard, being in a comfortable and refined setting, and receiving the best updated medical advice without judgment. It is the kind of care I would want as a patient, and it is what we strive to give.”
For Dr. Allen, teamwork is one of the practice’s greatest strengths. “We all bring different strengths to our partnership and together we are so much better than any of us would be on our own,” she says. “This power we harness together allows us to touch so many lives and creates a team positive environment that patients regularly compliment us on.”
Their commitment is magnified by meaningful moments that remind them of the human impact behind every appointment.
“The best referral is one made by a family member or friend,” Dr. Abel says. “The compliment I love most is when patients tell me they are so glad they finally came.”
Dr. Hoang Roberts treasures the emotional milestones. “I have patients who cry tears of joy because they finally feel better after years of suffering,” she says. “Those moments mean everything to me.”
Dr. Allen recently received her own reminder of her impact. “Just today I had a patient in her late 70s come in because her older sister was a new woman after meeting me,” she says. “She wanted some of what her sister now had. That is the ultimate honor.”
Serving Williamson County and greater Nashville has added richness to their personal and professional stories. Dr. Abel, who has lived in Nashville for decades, calls the region “a beautiful state with generous and kind people.” Dr. Allen, originally from Mississippi, convinced her family to relocate as well and now enjoys life on their family farm in Thompson’s Station.
The practice brings a boutique sensibility to healthcare, balancing specialization with warmth. “We often have several treatment options,” Dr. Abel says. “The solution must align with a patient’s personal health philosophy, time, and budget.”
Outside the clinic, each physician invests in her own well-being so she can continue leading with excellence. Dr. Abel runs and attends Orange Theory classes. Dr. Hoang Roberts cooks with her young children, finding joy in blending home and work life. She continues, "Both my husband and I are from Texas but Nashville has been like a second home to us- we even got married here! So moving here to be close to family on both sides, to raise our kids in the down to earth southern hospitality, we can’t ask for anything better!" Dr. Allen splits time between the clinic and her second home, embracing family life with her partner Brad and her two bonus children.
At Female Urology of Nashville, expertise meets empathy and medical care meets human understanding. Through every consultation, procedure, and shared smile, Dr. Abel, Dr. Allen, and Dr. Hoang Roberts embody a quiet strength. They are shaping lives, elevating the standard of female urology, and empowering women throughout Middle Tennessee with knowledge, dignity, and hope.
FUNUrology.com