I can attest first hand that Mayo is not a country club by any means!! My first week was tough. I was on call all week and it was busy as hell. We only take 2 interns a year and this year have only 1 chief. There are rumors here that they are probably going to take an extra intern next year because there is too much work. We are even having 2nd yr ENT residents rotate with our service, so you can see we have respect within the hospital. We interns take call every other week. They have 5 fulltime consultants and we are operating 5 days a week as well as trauma OR cases on weekends. We do all trauma here not just mandibles like everyone says. We have a head & neck cancer surgeon on staff trained from Oregon and he is doing tons of cases. We also run an outpt clinic 5 days a week and we usually have 5 3rd molar cases in the AM and 5 in the PM along with other procedures. We have one surgeon here who dose some cosmetics. The rumor I heard before I came here is that the residents don't do much but the outgoing interns are routinely cutting half the orthagnathic cases and harvesting hips by themselves, which I feel is alot for an intern who is usually just acting as a secretary. The medical knowledge of the residents here is unreal. Mayo provides an unbeatable medical education. We also see pts with rare diseases, since Mayo is often the last resort for alot of pts or the first place they go. I have to admit I was hoping that Mayo would be a bit more laid back then most programs but I was wrong. My 1st week which was only a 4 day business week required ~100hrs, and I was told this was a light week. So I wouldn't consider it country club anymore. I think Mayo heard those rumors and are making a change.
I feel it is one of the best programs in the country. We operate in one of the best hospitals in the world where ancillary staff handles all the scut work while we get to worry about the operating. We get a private practice envirnment unlike any other. Some of the wealthiest people from all over the world travel here to have their work done. We do tons of implants and residents have even said that 3rd molar cases get boring quick since they do so many of them everyday. We get a free medical education and are treated very well. The only thing I dislike is wearing a suit everyday.
tjb
