Mayo School of Graduate Medical EducationMayo Clinic200 First Street SouthwestRochester, MN 55905507-284-3521Eric J. Moore, MD – Fellowship Director Program Website |
Number of Fellowships: 1 Duration (in years) / Type: 1 year / clinical fellowship in advanced head and neck reconstructive surgery, including microvascular reconstruction and transoral oncologic surgery. Faculty: Jeffrey R. Janus, M.D. Jan L. Kasperbauer, M.D. Eric J. Moore, M.D. Kerry D. Olsen, M.D. Daniel L. Price, M.D. |
Program Description
Overview: Fellowship training takes place in a high-volume quaternary health care facility and includes head and neck oncologic surgery, transoral laser microsurgery for head and neck cancer, transoral robotic-assisted surgery for head and neck cancer, reconstructive head and neck rehabilitative surgery, including microvascular free flap reconstructive surgery and exposure to multidisciplinary head and neck cancer care.
Fellows participate in all aspects of patient care and are expected to function independently in routine surgical cases including preoperative and postoperative care of patients. In addition to the clinical experience, fellows in the Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship participate in didactic activities and have an average of 1 day/week of protected time to pursue basic science and translational research in a variety of labs.
Objectives: The Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship at Mayo Clinic is a one year program designed to train subspecialty fellows in the broad scope of advanced head and neck oncologic practice including microvascular reconstruction and transoral robotic-assisted oncologic surgery.
Strengths: Mayo Clinic has been designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. We have one of the largest head and neck oncology surgery practices in the country. We also have the unique opportunity to care for many international patients. Patients are referred internally throughout Mayo Clinic based on the patient’s cancer type. Interdepartment referral is the norm of this multidisciplinary practice. A weekly head and neck conference including physicians in radiation oncology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, is conducted to discuss patients who present to the Head and Neck Division for treatment of their head and neck malignancy. A liberal travel policy is provided for the fellow to attend and/or present at major meetings.
Eligibility: U.S. applicants to the fellowship program must have completed an ACGME accredited residency program and be qualified to sit for the American Board of Otolaryngology certification examinations. The applicant must meet the eligibility requirements set by the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education for obtaining and maintaining the appropriate residency permit or medical license while enrolled in the program. Foreign medical graduates will be considered, but applicants must have passed Step I and 2 of the USMLE prior to being considered for the fellowship.
Duties and Responsibilities of Trainees: The fellow participates in all complex head and neck operative cases under the supervision of faculty. This includes large volume ablative surgery as well as reconstruction requiring local pedicled flaps or free tissue transfer.
The fellow participates in morning rounds, specifically offering assistance and guidance to the junior resident. The fellow focuses on rounds for patients on which he/she has operated, while also educating the junior resident on complex issues that arise with other patients.
The fellow’s time is 20% research, 20% pre/post-operative care and head and neck clinic and 60% operative. The fellow has one day a week of dedicated research time, one day a week of outpatient clinical time, and three days a week of operative time.
During operative time, the fellow functions as primary surgeon on free flap cases and complex ablative cases, and supervises/educates the junior resident on more routine cases (i.e. thyroids, simple oral cavity cases, neck dissections, etc). In clinic, the fellow focuses on new cases, exercising the principles of appropriate oncologic workup and operative decision-making with the oversight of staff, and follows the patients in their postoperative care to evaluate the outcomes of this treatment. The fellow will assist the residents on the head and neck services in the clinic and supervise the oncologic surveillance of selected patients.
Supervision, Teaching and Call: The fellow provides a significant portion of patient care under the direction and supervision of the faculty. In the outpatient setting, the fellow evaluates patients. In the operating room, the fellow participates in all complex head and neck operative cases under the supervision of faculty. The fellow acts as an educator for the current residents, particularly on straightforward cases. At the discretion and under the supervision of the staff, the fellow will perform routine cases as the supervisor/educator and the resident as the primary surgeon.
The fellow presents at the department’s Grand Rounds, attends and participates appropriately in the weekly multidisciplinary head and neck tumor conference, participates and presents at the weekly group meeting following hospital rounds. The fellow does not have call responsibilities other than to provide pager call during the annual otolaryngology training exam to allow the otolaryngology residents to participate in that activity.