The Clinician Educator Pathway in Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education is designed to cultivate the next generation of clinician educators through a supportive community focused on mentorship, peer coaching, innovation, and scholarship. The program prepares trainees to become patient-centered clinicians, inspirational teachers, and servant leaders in medical education at Mayo Clinic and beyond.

Through structured, longitudinal learning, participants develop core competencies essential to the clinician-educator role, including effective clinical teaching, presentation skills, curriculum design, and learner and program evaluation. Monthly half-day sessions are held from August through June, combining expert-led presentations, scholarly discussion, and collaborative learning. Most sessions are conducted virtually, with in-person participation required for the opening and closing sessions. Coursework, learning modules, and session recordings are housed in Brightspace, and trainees work in small groups to complete a capstone project, reinforcing practical application and educational scholarship.

List of topics covered:

• Feedback
• Curricular development
• Program assessment
• Learner assessment
• Large group teaching
• Small group teaching
• Medical education research
• Education theories
• Technology in education
• Educator portfolio

From the program director

Welcome to the Clinician Educator Pathway — Mayo Clinic’s commitment to developing the next generation of exceptional teachers, mentors, and leaders in medical education. This program is destined for residents and fellows who aspire to elevate how medicine is taught and learned. Through a structured, longitudinal curriculum, you will gain essential skills in clinical teaching, curriculum design, learner assessment, educational scholarship, and leadership — supported by dedicated faculty across all Mayo Clinic sites. 

By joining this community, you will learn alongside peers who are equally passionate about education, collaborate on meaningful scholarly work, and benefit from robust mentorship that encourages both professional growth and creativity. Our goal is to help you develop the confidence, expertise, and inspiration to shape the future of medical education — whether at the bedside, in the classroom, or as a leader within academic medicine. We look forward to supporting your development and welcoming you into a dynamic network of clinician educators at Mayo Clinic and beyond.

Diana Kelm, M.D.
Clinician Educator Pathway Program Director
Associate Professor of Medicine

How to apply

Applicants to the Clinician Educator Pathway must be current Mayo Clinic residents or fellows with a demonstrated interest in medical education. Participation requires nomination and approval by the trainee’s program director, who is expected to support the trainee’s engagement and protected time for program participation.

Nominations for the program open in March. Program directors may submit nominations for trainees they believe will benefit from the program and show promise as future clinician educators.

The application process is competitive, and submission of a nomination does not guarantee acceptance. Nominees may be asked to submit additional materials, such as a curriculum vitae and a brief statement of interest, to support the selection process.