Mayo Clinic internal medicine physicians

Graduate medical education in internal medicine at Mayo Clinic

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Overview

The Internal Medicine Residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is one of the world's longest-running formalized physician training programs. Established in 1915, this program is recognized as one that transforms medical students into outstanding physicians, educators, and scientists.

As a resident, you’ll learn to set new standards in patient care and scientific investigation. You’ll complete the program ready to be an agent of change who, through inquiry or practice improvement, is prepared to advance the science and create the health care system of the future.

Program highlights:

  • An integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum featuring didactics, clinical experiences, and advocacy opportunities
  • A 13-block schedule of four-week rotations that are well-balanced in inpatient, outpatient, and consult team experiences — and you can customize your educational experiences through clinical and research electives
  • Rotation dedicated to learning and performing procedures
  • An intensive didactic core curriculum that covers inpatient and outpatient medicine
  • Comprehensive research curriculum that fosters scholarly inquiry leading to presentations at scientific meetings and peer-reviewed publications
  • Formal curriculum in quality improvement and health care systems
  • Formal curriculum in point-of-care ultrasound
  • An international health elective, with scholarships available
  • A medical journalism elective with ABC News in New York City
  • A dedicated three-year primary care track, offered to two residents annually, with applications accepted after the match
Video overview: Internal Medicine Residency

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Video overview: Internal Medicine Residency

Residents talking to each other in the hallway

Your training experience

As a resident at Mayo Clinic, you'll have access to robust clinical, educational, and research resources. You'll find support both inside and outside of the campus to promote physical and mental wellness and ensure your work/life balance.

Carrie Thompson, M.D., M.S.

Frequently asked questions (and answers)

What is the patient mix?

About 80% of patients seen at Mayo Clinic are from Minnesota or one of the adjoining states, and approximately 50% of our internal medicine patients are on a government-assisted health care plan. Rochester has one of the most diverse immigrant populations in the nation, with large concentrations of people from Southeast Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Mayo Clinic residents develop expertise in bread-and-butter internal medicine by serving the local community through their continuity clinic and in the hospital setting. Additionally, there are renowned experts in almost every disease at Mayo, which makes this a destination for patients who have previously posed diagnostic or management challenges; however, these patients make up a small percentage of a resident's practice.

What is the usual team structure?

The primary purpose of the Internal Medicine Residency is education, and the focus of learning is embedded in the care of patients. Interns and residents are the primary physicians for their patients. There are no private patients or private attendings at Mayo.

In the hospital, residents work in teams of four to six. Three interns supervised by a senior resident is the most common construct. The primary responsibility for care is with the intern, who orchestrates the care plans with input as needed from the senior resident and faculty. Interns and residents write all orders on their patients.

In the continuity clinic, interns and residents have their own individual panel of patients. As the primary physicians for their patients, interns and residents are responsible for providing longitudinal, comprehensive care for their patients in the outpatient setting. Continuity clinics are organized in "firms" that function as a group practice composed of other residents and a group of dedicated faculty. Our residents feel that they have the ideal balance of autonomy and supervision.

Are there opportunities to teach?

We have a robust three-year educator development curriculum in adult learning theory that is designed to prepare you for teaching roles with students, your peers, and other members of the health care community. 

You will have many opportunities to take the lead in teaching and supervising your team, facilitating inpatient and outpatient morning reports, and presenting in conference settings.

Can residents rotate out of Rochester or outside the U.S.?

Some residents choose to rotate outside of Rochester. Some of our most popular away elective rotations are the ABC News elective in New York, the HIV elective in Maricopa County, Arizona, and the elective in Winslow County, Arizona, where residents gain experience working with Native American populations in the Navajo Nation. Residents can also rotate in Hennepin County Medical Center, a safety-net hospital in Minneapolis.

Many of our residents rotate outside the U.S., usually under the auspices of the Mayo International Health Program. This program helps residents bring their talents to underserved areas of the world. Scholarships are provided to cover transportation and lodging. Residents have rotated to a large number of regions worldwide.

Other popular elective sites are our Mayo campuses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Florida, where a variety of rotations are available. Transportation, lodging, and licensure are provided. For those looking to explore community practices, a variety of rotational experiences also are available in smaller communities throughout the Midwest region within Mayo Clinic Health System.

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