The intent of our Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship is to produce proficient and competent physicians. That does not mean just knowing the operations, it means performing them.

All staff aim to serially progress you through each transplant operation until you are able to complete the operation on your own. Of course, you will progress at your own rate, but our job as educators is to understand this and to give more responsibility and autonomy as you become ready for it. 

Clinical training

During the two years of clinical training in the Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship, you will spend the first year focusing on kidney and multi-organ transplantation along with some time on liver. The second year is focused on liver transplantation as well as laparoscopic donor nephrectomies with continued time on kidney transplantation. Time is also built into the schedule for research and education on top of the clinical training. During your second year, fellows may also choose to perform an elective transplant rotation at another Mayo Clinic campus — Jacksonville, Florida, or Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona — or on a hepatobiliary surgery service.

Rotation descriptions

Learn about each clinical rotation.

Didactic training

The Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship has a strong didactic program with many weekly meetings, including:

• Morbidity and Mortality: Monthly Transplant Center conference where interns, residents, fellows, and specialty staff discuss one or two cases led by a fellow, with expert commentary from various fellows and staff. 
• Transplant Grand Rounds: Weekly Transplant Center conference where all staff, fellows, residents, and other guests attend, with a variety of intramural and invited expert speakers.
• Kidney and Liver Selection Committees: Weekly meeting where Transplant Center staff discuss potential transplant recipient and donor approval.
• Abdominal Transplant Fellows Education Conference: Weekly educational meeting that is specifically geared toward surgical fellows that involve transplant hepatology, transplant nephrology, and surgical staff.
• Journal Club: Monthly Abdominal Transplant conference where interns, residents, fellows, and specialty staff discuss a variety of journal articles related to aspects of transplantation surgery. 
• Deceased Donor Review: Biweekly meeting where abdominal transplant staff discuss past deceased donor surgeries.

Additional didactic opportunities include Surgery Grand Rounds and innumerable basic science lectures complementing the Mayo Clinic academic atmosphere.

Research training

Your research opportunities at Mayo Clinic are outstanding. You are encouraged to participate in research projects with the consulting staff during the Donor Service rotations.

The research experience includes opportunities for research in:

• Endothelial cell biology
• Immunology
• Artificial liver support devices
• Cholangiocarcinoma
• Transplantation obesity
• Other basic research projects in all facets of transplantation.

Research is a core value for a well-rounded academic surgeon.

Call frequency

Each fellow takes call approximately every other weekend following the ASTS Managed Time Policy. 

Patient population

There is no denying that the transplant patient population is one that can be complex and challenging clinically. The key is to have appropriate mentorship for our fellows so they feel comfortable as they grow into their knowledge of transplant. We encourage fellows to contact staff with any questions, day or night. 

Teaching opportunities

Residents and other trainees are always rotating on the transplant service and fellows will have the opportunity to provide teaching to residents and to junior fellows. It is our firm belief that teaching relevant subject matter helps trainees transform into experts. Teaching is done routinely on rounds and in didactic settings. Fellows are encouraged to lead teaching sessions and staff are always present to assist.

Evaluation

To ensure that fellows acquire adequate knowledge and develop their technical skills, performance is monitored carefully throughout the Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship. Fellows are evaluated formally by all surgical faculty members. As per ASTS guidelines, all fellows have operative and non-operative milestones assessed every six months. In addition, quarterly meetings will be held with the program director. Fellows also evaluate the faculty regularly to ensure that educational needs are being met.