Teaching opportunities

You have the opportunity to supervise and teach Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (MCASOM) students and visiting student clerks through bedside instruction and operative interaction.

Conferences

In addition to clinical experience, didactic training, and special courses, Mayo Clinic offers a wide variety of professional conferences and online learning. Whether as part of Joint Commission regulations or Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education recommendations, dozens of online modules teach current best practices for infectious diseases, professionalism, record keeping, and more.

The main department teaching conference is the weekly Department of Surgery Education Conference, which is a common meeting ground for all of the subspecialties within the Department of Surgery. Attending consultants openly critique case presentations by chief residents who are assigned to the general surgery, vascular surgery, and colon and rectal surgery services. Additionally, senior-level residents in pediatric, thoracic, transplant, and trauma, critical care, and general surgery present their operative lists for scrutiny and educational review. 

Additional conferences, which include staff pathologists and radiologists, are held monthly to educate surgical residents in managing all facets of patient care, with preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative lessons all being taught.

Morbidity and Mortality conferences are held by respective divisions through which the resident’s rotation, such as Trauma/Acute Care, Surgical Oncology, Vascular Surgery, to name a few. Residents have an active role in presenting at these conferences.

In-training examinations

Each year,  residents take the  American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE). During PGY-4 and PGY-5, residents participate in oral clinical examinations given by surgical staff from non-Mayo Clinic institutions in a long-running, annual multi-institutional tradition. These mock oral exams use the same format as the oral certification examination given by the American Board of Surgery and provide a realistic approximation of what it is like to be examined by an unfamiliar surgeon.

Committee assignments

Residents have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of administrative capacities during your training. Additional committees led by residents focus on improving all facets of resident training, from camaraderie to laparoscopy and robotic experiences.

• Class representatives
• Program Evaluation Committee
• Resident Wellness Committee