Rochester, MN
Program Director: Travis Grotz, MD
Associate Program Director: Cornelius Thiels, DO, MBA
About the Program
The Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) Fellowship at Mayo Clinic offers two-years of rich clinical and research experiences in complex general surgical oncology for fully trained general surgeons who desire to become innovators and thoughtful leaders within surgical oncology. The program provides extensive training in advanced open and minimally invasive surgical procedures across a wide breath of subspecialties. In addition, trainees receive comprehensive multidisciplinary oncology education, mentorship, opportunities for innovative surgical oncology research, and tools to refine their skills as surgeon scientists and clinical educators.
Mayo Clinic has a long history of academic excellence and delivers unparalleled cancer care to patients regionally, nationally, and internationally. Mayo Clinic consistently ranks as the top hospital in the world and in the top three cancer centers in the United States. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center sees more than 120,000 cancer patients annually. Our staff is dedicated to innovative minimally invasive surgical approaches including laparoscopic and robotic as well as open complex multivisceral resections, en-bloc vascular resections and reconstructions, and regional perfusion therapies such as hepatic artery infusion pumps (HAIP) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).
Rotation Schedule
Clinical rotations adhere to an apprenticeship model, with the fellows working directly with 1-2 attendings, while leading a clinical team of junior residents, and advanced practice providers. While on a clinical service, the fellows operate 3-4 days a week and spend 1-2 days per week in clinic where they form multidisciplinary treatment plans for new patients and provide postoperative and survivorship care for surgical patients.
There is strong emphasis in hepato-pancreato-biliary, gastric, peritoneal surface malignancies and retroperitoneal sarcoma surgery, with 9 months dedicated to these rotations. The remaining rotations are dedicated to breast/melanoma (3 months), colorectal (3 months), endocrine (1.5 months) and non-clinical rotations in pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, palliative care, and research. There is an opportunity for a 1.5-month elective in gynecologic oncology, thoracic oncology, or additional time in any of the core rotations.
Faculty
We have over 48 oncologic surgeons, who are international leaders in their field and provide a rich and diverse experience in every aspect of surgical oncology. Mayo Clinic has a long tradition of excellence in medical education with over 450 training programs across every medical, surgical and health sciences specialty. The CGSO faculty are dedicated to providing an optimal learning environment for fellows to facilitate their progression towards becoming academic thought leaders of the next generation of surgical oncologists.
Education
Fellows attend weekly disease-specific multidisciplinary conferences, and educational didactic conferences corresponding with their clinical rotation. The education program is complimented with bi-weekly Divisional Morbidity and Mortality conferences, and Quarterly journal clubs, and SSO webinars.
Research
Fellows will have 6 months of protected time for research in any and all aspects of surgical oncology including, Artificial intelligence, health outcomes, large database studies, patient reported outcomes, Quality of life assessment, education, translational and basic science research as well. Mayo Clinic has a plethora of resources for fellows to assist them in completing a minimum of two manuscripts during their training including statisticians, data analysts, survey center, basic scientist, research librarians, medical illustrators, etc.
Eligibility and Applications
Positions: There is one position available on a competitive basis every year.
Qualifications: Qualified applicants for the Complex General Surgery Oncology Fellowship must be on track to complete or have completed a general surgery residency at an accredited institution and be admissible to examination by the American Board of Surgery or be certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. Applicants must also be eligible for licensing in the State of Minnesota.
General admission requirements of the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education include:
- All graduates from medical schools outside of the U.S. or Canada must be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to qualify for admission.
- J-1 visa accepted
- H-1B visa accepted with the following requirements:
- Successful completion of USMLE Steps 1, 2CK, 2CS, and 3
- Eligibility for appropriate state medical licensure
- Not subject to the two-year home return requirement
- Provide certified or notarized English translation of transcripts from medical school
- Preadmission health review and current immunization record
- Pass criminal background check and drug screening
How to Apply: You must apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
Mayo Clinic will participate in the NRMP match for Complex General Surgical Oncology
Contact Information:
| Program Director: | Dr. Travis Grotz, MD |
| Email: | grotz.travis@mayo.edu |
| Address: | 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905 |
| Associate Program Director: | Dr. Cornelius Thiels |
| Email: | thiels.cornelius@mayo.edu |
| CGSO Fellowship Program Coordinator: | Angie Olson |
| Email: | olson.angela@mayo.edu |