The overall length of training for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Residency is 72 months (six years), based in Mayo Clinic’s campus in Rochester, Minnesota. This includes two years of general surgery credit and two years of medical school with intermittent returns to the OMS service during those years.

The model of training is that of apprenticeship or preceptorship. You will spend time rotating with each of staff surgeons, one-on-one in clinic and in the operating room, initially as assistant and advancing in responsibility as you increase your knowledge and skills. 

To learn more, see the generic program roadmap.

International trip

Senior residents typically have an opportunity to travel with a team, including one of our surgeons, for a one-week immersive experience treating a high volume of cleft patients in underserved areas internationally. This will usually take place during the 5th year of training. Travel and housing costs are covered by the training program.

Call and moonlighting

Call duties vary during training and rotations. The OMS service always has one junior-level resident taking first call (out of hospital), one senior resident taking second call (out of hospital), and one staff surgeon covering the service.

Mayo Clinic and the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery fully support the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education Resident Review Committee work-hour restrictions. In addition, the OMS service has a dedicated call room where residents can rest as needed on nights and weekends.

Moonlighting is not permitted for oral and maxillofacial surgery residents per division policy. However, residents receive a salary during medical school to help offset costs and enable them to maximize focus on their medical and surgical education.

Evaluation

To ensure that you acquire adequate knowledge and develop the appropriate technical skills to meet program expectations, trainee performance is evaluated thoroughly during the program. Frequent feedback between faculty and resident takes place before, during, and after a rotation to maximize development and quality of care provided. Trainees are formally evaluated by supervising faculty on a regular basis and residents meet with the program director to review these evaluations, in addition to full faculty review of each trainee biannually, and 360 evaluations. In addition, trainees regularly evaluate the faculty to confirm that your educational needs are being met.

All OMS residents take the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery In-Service Training Examination on a yearly basis. Threshold levels of performance are expected at each level of training; deficiencies are identified and corrective action plans developed to improve competencies as necessary.

Resident scholarship program

Mayo Clinic OMS staff are engaged in a wide range of meaningful clinical research, and trainees participate in these studies or begin their own. All residents participate in at least one scholarly project during the OMS Residency, ranging from basic science research to more clinically oriented studies, including case reports, quality improvement, medical education research, or clinical trials. 

Residents often complete several scholarly projects during their training, resulting in publications and national or even international presentations. You are encouraged to submit papers and abstracts to scientific societies. Mayo Clinic provides travel, time off, and expense reimbursement for presentations and abstracts accepted at regional and national meetings. Travel, per diem costs, and registration are provided to most meetings where residents have their work accepted, and coverage is arranged so that vacation days need not be used.