Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota

Training Program Director: Judy C. Boughey, MD, FACS, FSSO

Associate Program Director: Mara Piltin, DO, FACS, FSSO

The Mayo Clinic is renowned for excellence in patient care and education. The Mayo Clinic logo of three interlocking shields highlights the institutional commitment to patient care, education, and research. US News and World Report recognized Mayo Clinic as the #1 hospital in the nation for  2022-2023 for the seventh consecutive year, and the Mayo Clinic was on the US News and World Report best hospitals honor roll 2023-2024.

In this setting, we offer a multidisciplinary fellowship in breast surgical oncology designed to provide expertise in the evaluation and multidisciplinary management of patients with benign and malignant breast diseases. We match three fellows each year for a one-year fellowship duration.

Facilities, Staff, and Case Volume

The Mayo Clinic breast surgical practice is tightly linked to the Breast Diagnostic and Breast Cancer Clinics, housed along with Breast Imaging and Medical Oncology in the Mayo/Gonda Buildings located on the downtown campus. The multidisciplinary breast oncology group includes 7 breast surgical oncologists, 12 medical oncologists, 20 breast radiologists, 6 radiation oncologists, 6 breast reconstructive surgeons, 7 breast pathologists, and 12 breast internal medicine physicians. With over 10,000 patient visits per year in the Breast Clinics and over 1,000 breast surgical procedures performed at the Rochester site every year, there is ample clinical volume for excellent training experience.

Core Curriculum

The fellowship curriculum is designed to meet the core educational objectives established jointly by the SSO and ASBrS. Clinical multidisciplinary components include diagnostic breast evaluations, management of high-risk women, breast imaging, hands-on breast percutaneous biopsy, breast radiation oncology, breast medical oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery (breast), breast pathology, breast genetics/familial cancer program, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. These non-operative components are alternated with the surgical experience, in order to allow for maturation of surgical skills over the length of the fellowship. While on the surgical service, the fellow will perform initial consultation, management decisions, operative interventions, and post-operative care with an increasing level of independence over the course of the fellowship. An off-site rotation in a private practice setting affords the hands-on experience with ultrasound and image-guided biopsy techniques.

Meetings and Conferences

Didactic training includes weekly Multidisciplinary Breast Care Conference, Breast Educational Conference (rotating between M&M, journal club, and educational conference), biweekly Breast Tumor Board, and monthly didactic meetings with faculty. Opportunities for community service and outreach are plentiful, with events by the local American Cancer Society as well as a local non-profit organization that sponsors programs to provide community education and support for local breast cancer patients. In addition, each fellow has the opportunity to attend several national meetings and a breast ultrasound course.

Research Opportunities

Each fellow is expected to develop, complete, and present at least one research project and one review article or two research articles during the fellowship year. Opportunities for clinical and basic science research are abundant, based upon the individual interests of the fellow. The Mayo Clinic is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) member institution, member of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and is one of only seven institutions with a Breast SPORE. Within the Breast and Gynecology Cancer Program of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, over 75 individuals are actively engaged in clinical, translational, and basic science research and are available to mentor young investigators. Fellows will be expected to present research findings at regional and national meetings, and travel funds will be provided for this purpose.

Clinical Trials

The Breast team participates in a number of national cooperative group trials, including the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, NRG Oncology, and the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium. In addition, there is a portfolio of Mayo investigator-initiated clinical trials.

Eligibility

Applicants should be eligible or certified by the American Board of Surgery or American Osteopathic Board of Surgery and must be eligible for medical licensure in the State of Minnesota.

Contact Information