Clinical experience in the Rochester or Kasson family medicine clinics also provide exposure to common medical problems. Students also spend two weeks under the tutelege of a family medicine preceptor in a rural practice near Rochester. Internal medicine, pediatric, and obstetric basic clerkships are strongly weighted toward community care as well. Students are encouraged to take electives in one of the other Mayo practices in their fourth year of school. The required fourth year subinternship may be taken at any of the three sites and Mayo generously supports students who elect to take this opportunity.
Tremendous opportunities are also available for the research trimester in both Florida and Arizona.
Opportunities for meeting the needs of the underserved are numerous in Rochester and the surrounding region. Volunteer activities are available at Dorothy Day House in Rochester, a migrant farm workers clinic in Blooming Prairie, and elective clerkships in urban communities. The Hoffman Scholarship Fund supports clinical activities of medical students in underserved environments around the world. Recently students in this program have visited Asia, Africa, Pacific and Caribbean Islands as well as Native American health care centers. Three of the last four presidents of the Mayo staff are graduates of Mayo Medical School.