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Three fellows from rhinology and skull base surgery fellowship looking at anatomy drawings

Curriculum

Clinical training

During the Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellowship, you will work closely with program faculty to provide comprehensive rhinologic and skull base surgery care in the ambulatory, inpatient, and outpatient surgical settings. An apprenticeship model for education is incorporated into the Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellowship structure.

Specifically, clinical fellows will rotate with two Rhinology faculty per quarter. During this time, you will be primarily assigned to two faculty members. In a typical week, you will have one or two clinic days, and three or four operative days. You're not expected to take call; however, in some cases you may participate in clinical or surgical care after routine clinical hours to maximize educational opportunities.

The fellowship prioritizes complex rhinology and skull base training; however, you will also receive comprehensive training in rhinologic surgery including:

  • 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

Conferences

You will participate in multidisciplinary conferences and courses throughout the academic year, including three hands-on anatomical dissection courses. All courses are free of charge, except the dissection portion of the CME course. You can attend the lectures and observe the dissections of the CME course free of charge. If you desire to dissect during the CME course, you will be eligible for a reduced fee.

  • Chief conference/M&M/Quality conference
  • Head and Neck/Skull Base Tumor Board
  • Rhinology journal club and presentation of the surgical video of the month
  • ENT Combined Course/Rhinofest – anatomical dissection course (one-day course)
  • Endoscopic Skull Base Course – anatomical dissection course (two-day course)
  • Rhoton Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology Anatomy Program CME Course – anatomical dissection course (four-day course)
  • Core Curriculum Rhinology – nine weeks (one-hour lecture/week in person in odd years and recorded lectures in even years)

Research opportunities

As a fellow, you will have the opportunity to participate in basic science and clinical research, present at regional, national, and international meetings, and submit for peer-reviewed publications. The institution and department collectively offer robust infrastructure to support research within the field of rhinology and skull base surgery.

For example, statistical support is readily available through the Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, illustration support is freely available through the Division of Biomedical and Scientific Visualization, professional videography is available through media services, and support for anatomical studies is available through the Mayo Clinic Anatomy Laboratory and the Skull Base Dissection Laboratory.

With the excellent research support at Mayo Clinic and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, you will be expected to initiate and complete at least one publication within your year of fellowship. In addition, you will be encouraged to present and participate in national conferences. Support for national and international conference attendance is provided per Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education policy.

Moonlighting

As a fellow, you may moonlight with the program director's approval. Moonlighting should not interfere with the required learning and must not violate the work-hour rules.

Teaching opportunities

Opportunities are available for you to teach rotating residents and medical students. You will also serve as course faculty for rhinology courses. As clinical educators, you are eligible to apply for the rank of academic instructor through Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Evaluation

To ensure that fellows acquire adequate knowledge and develop the appropriate technical skills to meet program expectations, their performance is monitored carefully during the Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellowship. The fellows are formally evaluated by supervising faculty members on a regular basis and meet with the program director to review these evaluations. In addition, the fellows regularly evaluate the faculty to confirm that educational needs are being met.

Facilities

Take a virtual tour of the otolaryngology (ENT) spaces.

  • Click on the picture or tile to view the virtual space and learn more about the rooms, surgical spaces, and labs you may encounter as a Rhinology Resident.
  • Navigation tools: Use your mouse to click on the circles on the floor to move through the virtual tour. To advance directly into a specific room, click on the dollhouse icon (lower left corner). You may also use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

Pictured left-to-right: Stabile Building Skull Base/T-Bone Lab 9-50; Mary Brigh Building, Operating Room, 1-703; and Gonda Building, 12 Floor, Hallway A.

Stabile Building, Skull Base/T-Bone Lab Stabile Building, Skull Base T-Bone Lab
Mary Brigh Building, Operating Room 1-703 Mary Brigh Building, Operating Room 1-703
Gonda building, 12th Floor, Hallway A Gonda Building, 12th Floor, Hallway A
Academics ▸ Residencies and Fellowships ▸ Rhinology and Skull Base Surgery Fellowship (Minnesota) ▸ Curriculum
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