Meet Our Fellows

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Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Medical Oncology Fellowship accepts up to three fellows per year. Learn more about some of our current and past fellows, what led them to Mayo Clinic, and their thoughts and experiences in the program.

Current fellow(s)

Rainey Bloomquist, APRN, C.N.P., D.N.P.

Graduation: August 2025 Rainey Bloomquist

Why did you choose to pursue a fellowship in medical oncology?
Driven by a passion to care for patients affected by cancer, I decided to pursue a medical oncology NP/PA fellowship to enhance my knowledge and gain valuable experience. The comprehensive core curriculum and selective rotations offered by Mayo Clinic’s Medical Oncology NP/PA Fellowship presented an unparalleled opportunity for me to further refine my expertise in oncology care. Following completion of the fellowship, I plan to utilize the resources and training gained in the NP/PA fellowship to continue my journey of delivering exceptional and compassionate care to those affected by cancer.

Where did you practice before applying for this fellowship?
My nursing experience has primarily been in acute care settings. I started my career as a Registered Nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and later transitioned to the Operating Room, where I gained diverse surgical oncology experience, caring for both pediatric and adult patients. During my Doctorate in Nursing Practice program, I had the opportunity to rotate through various clinical rotations, caring for patients across their lifespan. Additionally, I had selective rotations in pain management, breast oncology, and cancer genetics. These experiences, coupled with my personal experience with cancer, further strengthened my desire to pursue a NP/PA fellowship in medical oncology.

What aspect of the fellowship do you find most fulfilling?
I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to rotate through various tumor groups, gaining valuable insights into the different types of cancers and the multidisciplinary approach necessary to care for patients battling cancer. The support I’ve received from my leaders, mentors, preceptors, and peers has made this fellowship an enjoyable experience. Moreover, I’ve also formed lifelong friendships with my co-fellows, all of whom are also new to the Rochester, Minnesota, area.

Past fellows

	Anna Nguyen, P.A.-C. Current position: Medical Oncology – Head/Neck Oncology Care Team, Mayo Clinic in Rochester Graduation: March 2022 What attracted you to the Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology Fellowship? I have always been interested in oncology, but I received very little oncologic training in PA school. From my perspective, Mayo Clinic has always been a top institution for research and clinical practice. I knew before I would practice in the field of oncology that I would need more training. Applying to the fellowship was a no brainer. How did the fellowship prepare you for your current position? The fellowship prepared me for my current position by teaching me the basis of many cancer types and chemotherapy regimens as well as how to discuss difficult topics with patient's including end of life. What makes the NP/PA Medical Oncology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic unique? What makes this fellowship unique is the breath of subspecialty cancer clinics and the number of specialists in each who are very willing to teach.
	Katie Tahtinen, P.A.-C. Current position: Medical Oncology - Inpatient, Mayo Clinic in Rochester Graduation: August 2022 What attracted you to the Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology Fellowship? Following graduation from PA school, I knew I had an interest in oncology due to positive experiences I had with oncology patient and their care teams during my rotations. I felt that oncology, while challenging, was a field where the providers are able to make a major impact on their patient’s lives and make important connections along the way. As oncology is a subspecialty that not a lot of time is dedicated to in PA school, I was interested in ongoing training in the oncology field. The Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology fellowship felt like it was the perfect opportunity to further my PA school training and kickstart my career in oncology. How did the fellowship prepare you for your current position? My current position focuses on caring for oncology patients in the inpatient setting. Hospitalization can be one of the most challenging and vulnerable times for oncology patients. My fellowship prepared by well by establishing a foundation of knowledge that allows me to understand the complex nature of oncology patients. The fellowship also strengthened my abilities to think critically about patient’s current symptoms within the greater context of their comorbidities and prognosis. I was also able to gain experience having difficult conversations with patients, an integral skill in oncology. What makes the Medical Oncology NP/PA Fellowship at Mayo Clinic unique? The Medical Oncology Fellowship is unique as it allows the learner to rotate amongst many different experts in the field. The extent of knowledge that is gained over the course of a year is unmatched and creates a foundation allowing the NP/PA to flourish in their subsequent career.
	Ailsa Luce, P.A.-C. Current position: Medical Oncology – Thoracic Oncology Care Team, Mayo Clinic in Rochester Graduation: March 2023 What attracted you to the Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology Fellowship? I wanted to get experience at a top ranked institution where I knew I would get to see the most innovative and evidence-based medicine being practice. Rare cancers are close to my heart and I knew that at Mayo I would be much more likely to encounter them and learn how to treat them. How did the fellowship prepare you for your current position? The breadth of exposure in working with every tumor group has allowed me to bring different insight to my current specialized role. In working with various multidisciplinary groups, I have been able to adopt things that worked well in different practices to my own role. The complexity of patients seen at Mayo has also really helped me feel prepared and capable to care for high acuity patients.
	Velvet Van Ryan, APRN, CNP Current position: Medical Oncology - GI Care Team, Mayo Clinic in Rochester Graduation: March 2024 What attracted you to the Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology Fellowship? I was a Mayo Clinic employee and had heard great things about Mayo Clinic Rochester. I was attracted to the program because it offered opportunities for vast experiences within medical oncology. How did the fellowship prepare you for your current position? I was able to build relationships with a variety of providers, experience a number of different scenarios, and deepen my knowledge of being a medical oncology provider. What makes the NP/PA Medical Oncology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic unique? The personable attention and quality that is expected of patient care is extended to the fellowship program. I felt very supported during my fellowship. I felt that others were vested in my learning.
	Nik Lyon, P.A.-C. Current position: Medical Oncology – Breast Care Team, Mayo Clinic in Rochester Graduation: August 2024 What attracted you to the Mayo Clinic Medical Oncology Fellowship? The faculty and preceptors were a big factor in my decision to pursue the Medical Oncology Fellowship. I knew I wanted a supportive team in a challenging environment, and I got exactly that! How did the fellowship prepare you for your current position? I was able to directly work with my future colleagues while also gaining a variety of other tumor specific and oncology care related experiences. I was able to experience the autonomy of an oncology APP while always having someone to bounce ideas off of or to troubleshoot with.

Career opportunities and advancement

A career as an NP or PA in medical oncology requires ongoing education to maintain certifications and stay up-to-date with the latest oncology advances.

There are also numerous opportunities for growth and specialization in the following areas:

Specialty focus: Concentrate on specific types of cancer (e.g., breast, thoracic, or gastrointestinal cancers).
Research: Participate in clinical trials or contribute to oncology research.
Education: Teach and mentor new NP/PA students, residents, or oncology fellows.
Leadership roles: Advance into roles such as Oncology Program Director, Clinical Manager, or leadership positions in cancer care settings.