Mayo Clinic's Neurosurgery Physician Assistant Fellowship in Arizona is an intensive and comprehensive 12-month didactic and clinical program in neurological surgery for the physician assistant (PA) that provides you with the knowledge and skill set necessary to care for the neurosurgical patient. The program is similar to a neurosurgery residency, but is more limited both in training time and depth of content.

The direction of the training parallels the responsibilities placed on the majority of advanced practice providers presently working in neurosurgery. Your training takes place under the direct supervision of neurosurgical physician assistants and neurosurgeons who are program faculty.

Program highlights

Our mission is to provide a dynamic and hands-on training experience which incorporates an outstanding didactic and clinical curriculum resulting in a physician assistant who can provide the highest level of comprehensive patient care at the completion of the program.

The objective of the neurosurgical PA fellowship is to be academically challenging, clinically rigorous, humanistic, and neurosurgical subspecialty diversified. The end product is a highly motivated, well-rounded practitioner who will contribute to the field of neurosurgery and to society as a whole.

Program goals

As a neurosurgery physician assistant fellow, program goals are for you to:

• Broaden your knowledge of the neurosurgical specialties and subspecialties with exposure to cerebrovascular, spine, pain management, interventional neuroradiology, neuro-oncology, and functional, stereotactic, pediatric, and skull base neurosurgery
• Acquire excellent clinical judgment
• Utilize evidence-based medicine practices to develop differential diagnosis and treatment plans
• Develop clinical skills centering on the evaluation, treatment, and management of patients with neurosurgical complaints
• Become proficient in examination techniques and in identifying neurosurgical emergencies
• Obtain an understanding of the techniques and interpretation of the ancillary aids to the diagnosis of neurological diseases
• Become proficient in both verbal and written communication skills
• Reinforce modalities regarding the neurosurgical disease process in your practice
• Perfect your surgical skills that encompass, but are not limited to, sterile prep, suturing, and surgical first assisting under the supervision of highly trained staff
• Appreciate the humanistic side of the practice of medicine and the commitment to work with the patient and family in a compassionate and humane manner
• Experience training that produces a highly motivated well-rounded practitioner who will contribute to the field of neurosurgery and to society as a whole
• Develop an attitude of team effort, where each member of the team is equally important in attaining satisfactory patient outcomes
• Improve your skills in the areas of stress management, time management, and interpersonal relationships with staff, colleagues, and patients
• Recognize that being a good communicator is a core clinical skill and that effective provider-patient communication can foster both patient and provider satisfaction, and improved clinical outcomes

Completion and certification

After successfully completing this fellowship, you will receive a certificate of completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.