Mayo Clinic’s Orthopedic Sports Medicine Physician Assistant Fellowship in Arizona is an intensive and comprehensive 12-month clinical and surgical program in sports medicine for the physician assistant (PA). This program would provide you with the knowledge and skill set to care for the orthopedic sports medicine patient.

Program highlights

Our mission is to provide a dynamic and hands-on training experience which incorporates an outstanding surgical and clinical curriculum. During the Orthopedic Sports Medicine PA Fellowship, you will evaluate and treat a wide variety of athletic injuries to the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, foot, and ankle. The program provides a comprehensive team coverage experience including professional, collegiate, and high school teams.

The objective of the Orthopedic Sports Medicine PA Fellowship is to be academically challenging, clinically rigorous, humanistic, and sports medicine subspecialty diversified. The end-product is a highly-motivated, well-rounded practitioner who will contribute to the field of orthopedic sports medicine and to society, providing the highest level of comprehensive sports medicine patient care.

Completion and certification

After successfully completing the fellowship, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.

Accreditation information

See accreditation information for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Program goals

As an Orthopedic Sports Medicine PA Fellow, program goals are for you to:

• Broaden your knowledge of the orthopedic sports medicine specialties and subspecialties with exposure to the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, foot, and ankle
• 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 orthopedic injuries
• Become proficient in orthopedic physical examination techniques
• Obtain an understanding of the diagnostic imaging including X-ray, MRI, and CT scan
• Become proficient in ultrasound guided and non-ultrasound guided injection
• 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
• Gain significant experience with arthroscopic surgery
• Become proficient in both verbal and written communication skills
• Reinforce modalities regarding the orthopedic conditions in your practice
• 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 sports medicine 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
• Initiate the process of earning a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Orthopedic Surgery through the NCCPA