The Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery prepares you for professional practice within the entire spectrum of cardiac surgery, including heart and lung transplant.

Throughout this fellowship, you will learn:

• Indications and management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for critically ill patients.
• Management of patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) both within the inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Care for cardiac surgery patients throughout the entire process from the initial outpatient visit, operating room, post operative hospital care, and discharge.
• Hemodynamic and immunosuppression strategies for heart and lung transplant patients both at the time of organ implantation and follow up care.
• Learn how to think critically and efficiently as a member of highly functioning multidisciplinary team.

Clinical training and rotations

The fellowship includes rotations within the following areas:

• ECMO intensive care unit
• Cardiovascular surgery intensive care unit
• Cardiovascular surgery progressive care unit
• Transplant intensive care unit
• Transplant progressive care unit
• Cardiovascular surgery operating room
• Outpatient cardiovascular surgery clinic
• Outpatient transplant and left ventricular assist device clinic
• Fifteen weeks of elective time to choose additional training from the fields above in your areas of specific interest

Didactic coursework

Fellows will attend monthly educational lectures, have access to online learning resources, participate in simulation lab events, and complete one quality improvement project throughout the year.

Department and faculty

Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, is at the forefront for cardiovascular surgery along with heart and lung transplant care. Mayo Clinic is among the highest volume and most advanced centers in the world.

Evaluation

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences uses these evaluative tools:

• Written examination
• Demonstration of skills
• Self-assessment exercises
• Faculty reviews

Mayo Clinic's system of evaluation provides students and faculty with a comprehensive look at individual performance. This allows faculty and administrative staff to direct students who are experiencing academic difficulty to the appropriate support resources, including tutoring programs and counseling opportunities.

Curriculum enhancements

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is committed to developing and maintaining the best educational programs. The curriculum and other aspects of this program are assessed constantly and changed as necessary to ensure the highest quality training.