After completing the Transitional Year Residency (PGY-1) curriculum, our residents complete three years of clinical anesthesia training (CA-1 to CA-3 or PGY-2 to PGY-4). Our clinical anesthesia curriculum covers basic, advanced, and subspecialty anesthesia, as well as opportunities to participate in research. Rotations vary in length between one and three months. 

Throughout the course of the residency, rotations may be arranged at Mayo Clinic’s campuses in Rochester, Minnesota, or Jacksonville, Florida. Mayo Clinic funds the authorized additional costs of travel, housing, auto rental, and licensure fees. 

Our rotation sites include Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Banner University Medical Center, Banner Desert Medical Center, Banner Thunderbird, Phoenix Indian Medical Center, and Barrow Neurological Institute. Opportunities for travel electives include a trauma elective at Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Maryland, pediatrics at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, and various rotations at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

See an example block schedule for all residents CA-1 through CA-3.

CA-1 and CA-2 years

The first and second years of clinical anesthesia training (CA-1 and CA-2) consist of clinical rotations in all basic and subspecialty areas with increasing levels of responsibility as you gain experience. During these years, our program collaborates with large local private practice groups to facilitate subspecialty anesthesia education in a private practice setting. This training takes part mostly in academic hospitals which provides a unique mix of perspectives for your residency experience.

CA-3 year

The first month of the CA-3 year is spent supervising and mentoring the new CA-1 anesthesia residents in the general operating room. CA-3 residents are involved in orientation, basic anesthesia instruction, and supervision of routine anesthetic cases. This opportunity allows you to advance your own teaching skills, increase your responsibility in the operating room, and prepare you for independent practice. At all times, you have direct supervision by a faculty member. 

The CA-3 year curriculum consists of rotations in a variety of subspecialty areas. During this training, which is distinctly different from the CA-2 subspecialty experience, you participate in the care of the most seriously ill patients and most challenging procedures in an increasingly independent manner.

As a resident, you will plan your CA-3 year with help from your adviser based on your interests, needs, and future career goals. Final approval of rotations is made by the program director to ensure all requirements for completion of the Anesthesiology Residency have been met.

CA-3 research track

Research opportunities at Mayo Clinic are outstanding. As a resident, you may dedicate up to six months to research during your anesthesia training, doing clinical or laboratory research or both.

The goal of the research rotation is to provide you with exposure to graduate- and postgraduate-level research, and include you in publication-quality research efforts. 

Call frequency

Mayo Clinic follows the recommendations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) regarding call frequency. Call during anesthesia rotations averages three or four per month depending on resident experience (CA-1 vs CA-2 vs CA-3). Weekend calls are two 12-hour shifts, one Saturday and one Sunday. Calls on the weekdays are 24 hours. General call is in-house and post-call days are free of clinical duty. Subspecialty calls are home call. ICU shifts are 12-hour work days. Call during pain rotations is 24 hours and averages one or two per week. Pain call is from home. CA-3 residents also take cardiac and liver transplant call on average two or three weekdays per month during anesthesia rotations.