Anesthesiology Residency (Minnesota) - Residencies and Fellowships - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science

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Overview

Mayo Clinic's Anesthesiology Residency in Rochester, Minnesota, aims to craft the next leaders field of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine by providing an outstanding clinical anesthesia experience tailored to each individual trainee.

Within a three-year program following a transitional internship year, Mayo Clinic anesthesiology residents are immersed in a program comprising two hospitals with more than 109 operating rooms, servicing more than 40,000 anesthetics per year in some of the most advanced facilities and cutting-edge medical procedures in the world.

hospital in Minnesota and nationally recognized on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll (U.S. News, 2024-25)

100%

board pass rate

A top 10

anesthesiology residency program as ranked by Doximity

What sets our program apart is the opportunity to learn how to "sit" anesthetics and also how to medically direct them. The department has a long history of practicing in the anesthesia care team model, and our residents benefit greatly from this stability.

Highlights of the program include:

A diverse clinical experience and comprehensive didactic component
Subspecialty training
Multisite elective rotations
Ten ABA board examiners on staff and a board certification pass rate that far exceeds the national average
An ideal mix between clinical responsibilities, didactics, and time for reading
Extensive research opportunities
All residents present at a national conference during their training
A generous travel policy
Opportunities to establish relationships with leaders in the field
A focus on mentoring and development of all residents
Opportunities to participate in advocacy
Supportive ancillary staff

Residents participate in rotations across the majority of fellowship subspecialties in over 20 unique divisions and have full access to one of the largest collections of experts in every field of medicine and research.

The program offers an outstanding clinical anesthesia experience tailored to meet and exceed individual educational and long-term professional goals. Regardless of the type of practice entered — academic versus private practice or personally performed versus medically directed anesthesia — graduates have the knowledge and skills required to succeed and to advance the field of anesthesiology and the health care system of the future.

Take a virtual tour: Anesthesiology spaces

Navigation tools: Use your mouse to click on the circles on the floors and move through the virtual tour. To advance directly into a specific room, click the dollhouse icon (lower left corner). You may also use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

Gonda building at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

Lobby, Gonda building

Operating Room 802, Mary Brigh building

Medical-surgical task training room in the Mayo Clinic Multidisciplinary Simulation Center

Multidisciplinary Simulation Center, Stabile building

Workstations to practice procedures and enhance skills with video capabilities to track progress, located at the Center for Procedural Skills Mastery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Center for Procedural Skills Mastery, Mary Brigh building

Frequently asked questions (and answers)

What is the patient mix?

We take care of patients who can be classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical class I (otherwise healthy) to class VI.

You may provide anesthesia for young, healthy patients requiring minor surgery (such as cast application or removal, and plastics) all the way to a "crashing" thoracoabdominal aneurysm. During the course of residency training, you are exposed to the entire gamut of patients, and with repetition.

Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, Saint Marys Campus, is a Level 1 Trauma Center and a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. Although much of our trauma is blunt trauma, we do see both blunt and penetrating trauma cases. Our graduates are well-prepared to manage all types of trauma cases. In fact, blunt trauma is frequently much more difficult to manage than penetrating trauma.

How is the relationship between surgeons and anesthesiologists?

Mayo Clinic strongly believes in the team approach to patient care. Surgical and anesthesia teams work hand in hand at every location. Mutual respect among all health care providers is expected at Mayo.

We strive for excellent communication between surgical and anesthesia teams to ensure patient safety and good outcomes. Quarterly quality and safety conferences are conducted for the entire house of surgery, including anesthesia personnel, surgeons, allied health staff, and nurses. The team approach and emphasis on open communication is a significant component of these conferences.

How can I get good anesthesia training at a place that only sees “zebras”?

This is a common misconception among resident applicants from outside Mayo. Although Mayo Clinic has an international reputation and provides care to patients from a number of countries, Mayo Clinic is also the referral center for all of southeastern Minnesota, southwestern Wisconsin, northern Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Mayo Clinic is also the primary caregiver for all of southeastern Minnesota. A majority of Mayo patients are from the U.S., and a significant fraction of those are from the Midwest.

You get extensive experience caring for routine patients but also have the opportunity to care for patients with complex problems. Graduates from the program won't be surprised with anything they see in their future practices.

A faculty member explains a procedure to anesthesiology residents

Your training experience

As a resident at Mayo Clinic, you'll have access to robust clinical, educational, and research resources. You'll find support both inside and outside of the campus to promote physical and mental wellness and ensure your work/life balance.

Director's welcome

I believe the Anesthesiology Residency at Mayo Clinic is the best in the country, and I am convinced that once you visit and speak with faculty and residents, you'll feel the same. As a graduate of our program, you'll be amazed by the opportunities that become available to you!

Accreditation

The Anesthesiology Residency is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Certification

After successfully completing the program, you are eligible to take the Advanced Examination offered by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA). This written exam is taken at the end of your residency training followed by the Applied Examination, which consists of a Standardized Oral Examination and Objective Structured Clinical Examination. Residents are fully qualified to apply for any one of the ABA certified fellowship subspecialities or obtain employment in national private practice groups.