The one-year Orthopedic Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, provides a unique opportunity to train physicians in an increasing area of need: the treatment of bone and joint infections. Graduates of this program will be proficient in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of all types of musculoskeletal infections.

There are very few centers in the U.S. or internationally that have such accumulated expertise in orthopedic infections as Mayo Clinic. This clinical practice is under the guidance of experienced faculty that are focused on orthopedic infectious diseases.

Orthopedic infections are a growing problem because of an expanding aging population, with increasing number of prosthetic joints being placed. By 2030, it's estimated that the number of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implantations done in the U.S. each year will increase from approximately 600,000 to 4,000,000. Assuming a risk of infections of 1 to 5% in all prosthetic joints, we expect to see the number of THA and TKA infections increase proportionately.

At Mayo Clinic, you learn to understand and effectively treat musculoskeletal infections. Improved knowledge of diagnosis, management and prevention of orthopedic implant infections, osteomyelitis, and diabetic foot infections will potentially translate to increased use of this new information in patients and better outcomes.

The Orthopedic Infectious Diseases Fellowship offers you:

• Preparation for a successful career in orthopedic infectious diseases in a group practice or academic center
• In-depth exposure to common and rare infections of the musculoskeletal system, including osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infections
• Participation in a multidisciplinary team and exposure in collaborative approach to managing orthopedic infections.
• Research opportunities in the field of orthopedic infectious diseases

You are required to participate in a clinical or basic science research project under faculty supervision. At the end of the research training, you will be conversant with basic aspects of clinical or bench research. Additional training in research is available for interested fellows.

Program history

The Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota began in 1961. Since its inception, that program has evolved to include several specialty rotations — including transplant medicine, intensive care, orthopedics, and travel and tropical medicine — and a robust research component.

In 2008, the Orthopedic Infectious Diseases Fellowship began to address a growing demand from patients for this specialty care. We anticipate that one trainee will complete this program annually.