Research training

Research opportunities at Mayo Clinic are outstanding. Your particular projects depend on your interests and background. Research opportunities are divided into two broad categories: clinical and basic science laboratory research. Several faculty members have robust research databases and continuously active projects.

Clinical research

You have access to Mayo Clinic's world-renowned medical records system for clinical research. During your residency, you conduct at least one clinical research project, publish the results, and make at least one regional or national presentation. The program director and associate director can assist you in the selection of a topic or assign you a mentor based on your particular interests.

Basic science laboratory research

If you have an excellent clinical record and are interested in an academic surgical career, you are encouraged to pursue basic science laboratory research. Credits can be applied toward a master's degree or doctorate at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Mayo Clinic offers two basic science laboratory research opportunities: a one-year research program and a two-year Clinician-Investigator Training Program.

One-year research program

This program gives you the opportunity to assess your aptitude for bench research and develop your fundamental research skills. To enhance your productivity, you are encouraged to initially base your research on an existing research project. Current areas of basic science laboratory research include:

• Cardiac surgery
• Colorectal physiology
• Gastrointestinal physiology
• General thoracic surgery
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Oncology and immunology
• Pediatric surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Transplantation
  • Xenotransplantation
  • Cardiac and lung
  • Hepatic
  • Renal and pancreas
• Vascular surgery

Clinician Investigator Training Program

Mayo Clinic's Clinician Investigator Training Program is a two-year program. When you complete this training, you are academically prepared, competent in clinical surgery, technically skilled in research, and capable of competing in today's research environment.

The Clinician Investigator Training Program includes two years in basic science laboratory research and a core curriculum of research seminars, guest seminars, and didactic courses in subjects such as:

• Advances in cell molecular biology
• Cellular and quantitative biology
• Physiology
• Statistics

If you are interested in the Clinician Investigator Program, you should indicate your interest early in your residency training. You are then assigned to a faculty member who helps you develop a competitive written research proposal.