Our “Training the Rural Surgeon” miniseries continues as Dr. Randy Lehman and Jacob Steffen are joined by Dr. Mariela Rivera, Program Director at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They discuss how Mayo Clinic’s rural general surgery track equips residents for the broad scope of rural surgical practice.

The conversation explores the structure of the rural track, training across Mayo Clinic Health System sites, flexible rotations, endoscopy, OBGYN, subspecialty exposure, and the balance between tertiary care training and high-volume community surgery experience.

Dr. Rivera also explains what she values in applicants, including adaptability, emotional intelligence, ownership, strong patient relationships, and a demonstrated commitment to rural practice.

For medical students and residents interested in rural surgery, this episode offers an inside look at Mayo Clinic’s approach to training surgeons for the clinical breadth, autonomy, and responsibilities of independent rural practice.

0:00 Intro

06:53 Key Strengths and Structure of the Residency Program

10:51 Qualities of a Successful Rural Track Applicant

13:58 Intern Case Volumes and One-on-One Surgical Mentorship

17:23 Surgery Olympics: Simulation-Based Skill Assessments 

Resources Mentioned:

Mayo Clinic Residency Programs

https://college.mayo.edu 

🌐 Connect with The Rural American Surgeon:

https://www.theruralamericansurgeon.com/ 

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