The Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, aims to provide exemplary training in all aspects of rhinologic, open, and endoscopic skull base surgery including diagnostic, medical, surgical, and rehabilitative management of disorders in the sinonasal cavity, orbit, and skull base. These primary pursuits are reinforced by teaching activities that support the development of proficient surgeons and educators who will contribute significantly to the future of the specialty and serve as ambassadors of the field.

Fellowship training takes place in a high-volume quaternary health care facility and encompasses but is not limited to:

• Complex and revisional functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
• Advanced frontal sinus surgery, including endoscopic and open approaches.
• CSF leak repair and advanced skull base reconstructive techniques.
• Endoscopic endonasal orbital surgery.
• Endoscopic endonasal optic nerve decompression.
• Endoscopic transsphenoidal approaches to the pituitary fossa and cavernous sinus.
• Endoscopic endonasal craniotomy for intradural tumors.
• Open and endoscopic approaches to sinonasal malignancies (craniofacial resections).
• Endoscopic-assisted transorbital skull base approaches.
• Open and endoscopic approaches to the infratemporal fossa.
• Endoscopic transclival and craniovertebral junction approaches.

Mirroring the Mayo Clinic otolaryngology residency experience, we pride ourselves on the mentorship model for fellowship training. This model pairs two Rhinology faculty members with one fellow per quarter. We find that working alongside a staff member for an extended period accelerates the surgical training, enhances educational opportunities through greater continuity of care, and builds more meaningful relationships between the fellow and mentoring faculty.

In addition to the clinical experience, the fellow will also have the opportunity to train in anatomical dissections at our world-class Rhoton Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology Anatomy Program.

More from Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education