Clinical training

The Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship enables the fellow to acquire an advanced body of knowledge and a high level of skill in the multidisciplinary management of breast disease to assume a leadership role as a breast surgical oncologist in an academic teaching or community breast center.

This includes:

• Evaluation and management of benign breast disease
• Breast cancer risk assessment
• Breast cancer genetics
• Screening and diagnostic breast imaging
• Natural history and pathology of benign and malignant breast disease
• Proficiency in interdisciplinary evaluation and pre-surgical treatment planning
• Selection of local therapy, indications, local recurrence and expected outcomes
• Neoadjuvant systemic therapy
• Radiation therapy post-mastectomy and breast conservation
• Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and endocrine therapy
• Preoperative work-up and postoperative care
• Management of surgical complications related to breast surgery
• Reconstructive options after mastectomy and breast-conserving treatment
• Evaluation, prevention and management of arm lymphedema
• Breast cancer care for transgender patients

These procedural skills are acquired during the fellowship:

• Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy
• Subareolar duct excision
• Intraoperative ultrasound
• Breast-conserving surgery
• Oncoplastic breast surgery
• Modified radical mastectomy
• Skin-sparing mastectomy
• Nipple-sparing mastectomy, including nerve preservation for neurotization
• Axillary lymph node dissection
• Sentinel lymph node surgery
• Targeted axillary dissection
• Exposure to robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy

Didactic training

Your training includes surgery conferences and other clinical conferences in the departments of Surgery, Internal Medicine and Oncology and in the Mayo Clinic Breast Diagnostic Clinic.

Conferences include:

• Breast and Melanoma Surgical Oncology Educational Conference (weekly) - including journal club once a month
• Multidisciplinary Breast Conference (weekly)
• Multidisciplinary E-Tumor Board (biweekly)
• Oncology core curriculum lectures

The Department of Surgery participates in the evidence-based medicine program, case conferences and visiting faculty conferences. All didactic courses are open to residents and fellows in all subspecialties.

Research training

During the fellowship, each fellow will participate in clinical research and present at regional and national meetings, as well as publish two or more manuscripts.

Evaluation

To ensure you gain proficiency and develop the corresponding technical skills, your performance is monitored throughout the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship. You are formally evaluated by your supervising faculty member after the completion of each clinical rotation and then meet with the program director to review these evaluations quarterly.

In addition, you regularly evaluate the faculty to ensure your educational goals are being met.