Gap Year Program

About the program

The Division of Orthopedic Surgery Research offers a paid 12-month gap year clinical research training position for second-year and third-year medical students.

The Orthopedic Surgery Medical Student Research Gap Year Program is an exciting opportunity for highly motivated students to strengthen their applications for the Orthopedic Surgery Match. The program is located at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Students in the Gap Year Program train under consultant mentors in the Division of Orthopedic Surgery Research in one of six division focus areas:

• Foot and ankle.
• Hip and knee arthroplasty.
• Pediatric orthopedics.
• Shoulder and elbow surgery.
• Sports medicine.
• Trauma.

Third-year students participate in a one-month clinical clerkship rotation in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the end of their year. They also attend weekly didactic sessions in various disciplines within orthopedic surgery to develop a strong foundation of knowledge.

The Gap Year Program includes a stipend of $20,000. Students also can apply for a competitive short-term appointment with the division's NIH T32 training grant, which offers more funding.

A note from our medical director

For more than 15 years, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic has hosted medical students for one-year clinical research fellowships during their medical school training.

The Gap Year Program has been incredibly successful. Our fellows develop strong research skills, publish numerous papers and match into orthopedic surgery residencies at a high rate. Some of our past research fellows have matched into our own residency program and some are now on staff as orthopedic surgeons at Mayo Clinic.

The program has grown into one of the most robust gap year research programs in the United States.

Key features

While most gap year research programs teach medical students the basics of orthopedic surgery research, there are a few key features that make the Mayo Clinic Orthopedic Surgery Medical Student Research Gap Year Program stand out.

Emphasis on mentorship

Our students are not here just to do research. They also learn how to become better physicians, scientists and leaders. Regularly scheduled meetings and mentorship with the individual division program directors and faculty members are a main focus of the fellowship experience.

Single application match process

Six orthopedic surgery divisions participate in the Gap Year Program, all based at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Rather than having applicants apply to all six divisions separately, the program requires only a single application. Applicants submit a list ranking their preferred divisions. After reviewing all the applications, the program directors also submit a rank list, and a match is performed similar to that of an orthopedic surgery residency. This process gives applicants the ability to be considered by all divisions while prioritizing their individual interests.

Orthopedic and leadership curriculum

To highlight our focus on education, leadership and mentorship, we have created a robust orthopedic research and leadership curriculum for the program. This curriculum is structured around three pillars:

• Research.
• Leadership.
• Mentorship.

During the year, all students in the Gap Year Program collectively participate in group sessions that are led by current Mayo Clinic orthopedic faculty members.

The orthopedic research and leadership curriculum includes:

Basics of Research

• Orthopedic Research Infrastructure and Resources at Mayo Clinic.
• Making the Most of Your Research Year.
• Creating a Research Database and Spreadsheet.
• Research Statistics for Orthopedics Part I.
• Creating and Submitting an IRB.
• Research Statistics for Orthopedics Part II.
• The Proper Way To Write a Research Paper.
• The Art of Revising Manuscripts and Responding to Reviewers.
• Research Statistics for Orthopedics Part III.
• Presenting Research at a Scientific Meeting.
• Artificial Intelligence in Orthopedic Research.

Personal Leadership

• Growth Mindset: Setting the Stage Mentally Is the First Step.
• Productivity: Taking Control of Your Time and Life.
• Extreme Ownership: Why It's All Up to You.
• Synergistic Teamwork: Why Life Is a Team Sport.

Orthopedic Career-Based Mentorship

• How To Get Into Ortho Residency.
• How To Be an Excellent Rotating Medical Student.
• How To Ace Your Residency Interviews.
• How To Be an Ideal Orthopedic Surgery Resident.

Application requirements

Applicants for the Gap Year Program must:

• Be second-year or third-year medical students at a U.S. medical school and interested in pursuing an orthopedic surgery residency.
• Have successfully completed preclinical course requirements and USMLE Step 1.
• Be in good academic standing.
• Have excellent organizational and communication skills.

Applications must include:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Personal statement.
• USMLE Step 1 score report if applicable.
• Medical school transcript.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this program.

Apply here for the 2025-2026 Orthopedic Surgery Medical Student Research Gap Year Program, accepted from Nov. 4 to Dec. 13, 2024, at 5 p.m. Central time. The selection committee will contact accepted applicants in late December or early January 2025 to schedule an interview. Interviews will be held via Zoom during the first three weeks of January.

Life in Rochester

Rochester, Minnesota, serves as a premier medical destination with an exciting energy of innovation and hope. We invite you to explore Rochester and learn more about Mayo Clinic.

Past fellows

• Louis Kang, 2024-2025
• Megan Anderson, 2024-2025
• Sanathan Iyer, 2024-2025
• Gavin Ward, 2024-2025
• Amanda Vazquez-Lloret, 2024-2025
• Emil Varas, 2024-2025
• Leilani Garayua Cruz, 2024-2025
• Adrian Gonzalez-Bravo, 2024-2025
• Ria Paradkar, 2024-2025
• Sean Clark, 2023-2024
• Ankur Khanna, 2023-2024
• Karissa Simon, 2023-2024
• Kong Pan, 2023-2024
• Alexander Boos, 2022-2023
• Nick Kuttner, 2022-2023
• Abhinav Lamba, 2022-2023
• Allen Wang, 2022-2023