Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship (Minnesota) - Residencies and Fellowships - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science

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Overview

The Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, provides fellows with the best possible foundation for a career in transplantation surgery. The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) has accredited Mayo Clinic for training in liver and kidney transplantation.

This two-year fellowship prepares fellows for either academic medicine or private practice by training with board-certified staff who teach management concepts in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, living donor transplantation (Kidney and Liver), deceased donor liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation, pediatric transplantation exposure, multidisciplinary team management, multi-organ transplants, and paired donation.

Program highlights include:

Ample opportunity to complete clinical research projects and present at national meetings. Since many of our faculty are involved extensively in research endeavors, there is an option for a pre-clinical research year within our fellowship program. If this is something you're interested in, please contact our education coordinator.
Our strong didactic training program includes a monthly morbidity and mortality conference as well as weekly transplant Grand Rounds, kidney and liver selection committees, and fellows education conference.
As a fellow, you will enjoy graduated autonomy and serially progress through each transplant operation until you are able to complete the operation on your own.
Our fellows maintain a balance between work and life responsibilities and enjoy all that life in Rochester has to offer.
Fellows at Mayo Clinic are considered trainees and comply with all regulations regarding trainees, including the 80-hour workweek as stipulated by Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The career development of our fellows is incredibly important to us and our graduates are highly successful. Since 2003, 34 of our 38 graduating fellows have found transplant faculty positions.

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Multi-organ procurement by the Mayo Clinic team

Abdominal transplant surgery has a unique combination of having to do the most challenging surgeries, develop long term relationships with patients, and participating in the fascinating and rapidly evolving field of transplant immunology. Overall, these factors make abdominal transplant surgery an obvious choice for me.

Niv Pencovici, M.D., Ph.D.
Abdominal transplant surgery fellow

120+

adult liver transplants performed annually

200+

adult kidney transplants performed annually

15+

adult pancreas transplants performed annually

Transplant surgery fellows and faculty in a meeting at a conference table

Your training experience

As a fellow at Mayo Clinic, you'll have access to robust clinical, educational, and research resources. You'll find support inside and outside of the campus to promote wellness and ensure work/life balance.

Program director Dr. Diwan posing for a picture with a fellow

Director's welcome

"The Mayo Clinic culture is pervasive in every facet of the system, including the transplant division. We strive to treat our fellows like our partners and give them the responsibility and autonomy they need to grow into great transplant surgeons."

Accreditation and certification

The Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship is approved by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) under delegated authority of the ACGME for kidney and liver transplantation certifications. However, there will also be exposure to pancreas transplantation and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery (HPB) in addition to pediatric transplantation (liver and kidney).

When you successfully complete the Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship, you will be eligible to be certified by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS).

Program history

The ASTS-accredited Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship began at Mayo Clinic in 1979. Since it began, more than 70 fellows have completed training in this program. Going forward, it is anticipated that two fellows will complete this program every year.

Mayo Clinic is a world-renowned institution offering superb patient care and effective multidisciplinary work. The seamless integration between the medical, surgical, and other professionals here is hard to match, and becomes paramount when treating transplant patients. Training in such an environment prepares you for a successful career, and gives you clear insight of how things run, not only inside the operating rooms.

Mohammed Shaheen, M.D.
Abdominal transplant surgery fellow (2016-2019)