Positions

Four positions are available on a competitive basis each year in the Ophthalmology Residency. These appointments are made through the SF Match.

Qualifications

Each resident starting in the Ophthalmology Residency at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, must obtain a Minnesota medical license by the start of the PGY-2 year (usually USMLE Step 3 is taken during the PGY-1 year).

Domestic medical school graduate requirements

By the start of this 4-year residency program, you must have:

• Graduated from an accredited medical or osteopathic school located in the U.S., its territories, or Canada.
• Passed the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, and possibly USMLE Step 2.

By the start of the PGY-2 year, you must have passed the: 

• U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) steps 1, 2, and 3, each within three attempts and completed within seven years

   OR

• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) exam, Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX), or state exam.

Foreign medical school graduate requirements

You must have:

• Graduated from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
• Passed USMLE steps 1, 2, and 3, each within three attempts and completed within seven years, or passed the FLEX or LMCC exam.
• An Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate.

Also see general admissions requirements for Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education.

How to apply

The academic year begins in July.

The application and all supporting documentation must be submitted by Sept. 1, approximately nine months before the program start date.

The ophthalmology match for PGY 1-4 positions occurs in January with the San Francisco Matching program.

You must apply through SF Match, a third-party application service.

1. Visit the SF Match website to register as an applicant. Fill out a Central Application Service (CAS) application form, provide the required documents and select our program for distribution. Mayo Clinic requires no further documents beyond what SF Match requires.
2. Applicants considered for an appointment will be invited to visit Mayo Clinic for a personal interview with the program director and selected faculty. Interviews are conducted in October and November each year.