Trainee experience

Full-time clinical treatment experience, observation, didactic training, and mentorship from your clinical mentors and SLP colleagues for evaluation and treatment of various patient populations in a level one trauma acute care setting and acute 36 bed rehabilitation unit.

You will have additional exposure to the management of medically complex head and neck cancer populations, including surgical resection and reconstruction (including total laryngectomy). Additional opportunities include presenting articles in journal clubs, interesting cases in multidisciplinary dysphagia meetings, attending in-house CEUs, and a final interesting case presentation to the division of Speech Pathology. You will have access to Mayo Clinic resources, including use of a laptop, PubMed, and Mayo Clinic libraries.

Clinical training and rotations

The fellowship experience aligns with ASHA standards; ongoing mentoring, observation, guidance, and assessment will be provided by a clinical mentor who holds ASHA credentials.

Opportunities to observe our colleagues in various practices across campus can be made available in the last month of the fellowship.

Schedule and hours

A clinical day will be 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with one hour for lunch. Fellows will also attend regular team meetings. Fellows are also required to work up to six Saturdays on the rehabilitation unit with the following Monday off.  

There will be additional opportunities to attend weekly grand rounds, monthly multidisciplinary dysphagia, specialty grand rounds, and division meetings.

Evaluation

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences uses these evaluative tools within the fellowship:

• Demonstration of skills
• Self-assessment exercises
• Learning outcomes and assignments from didactic sessions
• Faculty reviews
• Throughout the year and upon completion of the clinical fellowship, the clinical mentors will document and verify clinical skills using the Clinical Fellowship Report and Rating Form and the Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory per the standards set forth by ASHA.

Completion and certification

Successful completion of the clinical fellowship experience will be confirmed by your clinical mentors per the requirements of ASHA to obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, along with state licensure requirements to move forward from provisional to full.  Additionally, upon successful completion of the fellowship, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.