Diseases of the peripheral nerves cause weakness, sensory loss, and pain in the extremities. Mayo Clinic's one-year Neuromuscular Disorders (Peripheral Nerve Disorders) Fellowship in Rochester, Minnesota, will give you the opportunity to conduct the primary clinical assessment of more than 300 patients with all forms of peripheral nerve disease.

A second year of fellowship may be considered depending on your clinical and research interests and long-term career goals.

You will have responsibility for overseeing all of the laboratory studies for these patients; and will read and report on nerve biopsies, computerized automated-sensory testing and autonomic-function testing.

Mayo Clinic's Nerve Pathology Laboratory and Autonomic Laboratory are by far the most comprehensive and have the largest number of studies of any in the world.

As a trainee in this fellowship program, you will:

• Evaluate and design treatment for patients presenting the full spectrum of peripheral and autonomic neuropathies.
• Learn the indications and interpretation of peripheral nerve biopsies.
• Learn the performance and interpretation of autonomic function tests.
• Interpret quantitative sensory testing.
• Understand the principles and design and interpretation of clinical research trials in peripheral nerve disease.
• Gain experience in molecular biology.
• Conduct teaching seminars.

You will participate in regular weekly peripheral nerve conferences and general neurology conferences. You will have close contact with the clinical neurology services and spend three months working on a primary clinical neurology service responsible for patients with neuromuscular disease.

You also will have the opportunity to observe electromyographic (EMG) and nerve conduction studies on patients and attend EMG conferences.

Evaluation

To ensure that you acquire adequate knowledge and develop your technical skills, your performance will be monitored carefully during the course of your program training. You will be evaluated formally by your supervising faculty member after each clinical rotation and will meet with the program director to review these evaluations.

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

Certification

When you have successfully completed the Neuromuscular Disorders (Nerve) fellowship, have done an American or Canadian neurology residency, and have done cross-training in muscle pathology or completed the Neuromuscular Disorders (Muscle) fellowship, you will be eligible to take the United Council of Neurological Subspecialities (UCNS) exam on clinical neuromuscular pathology.

Program history

The Neuromuscular Disorders (Peripheral Nerve Disorders) Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester was established in 1985. Since that time, several fellows have completed their training in the program. It is anticipated that at least one fellow will complete this program annually.