
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science grew from Mayo Clinic's efforts to train physicians and other health professionals alongside its clinical work in Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo's residency training dates to 1915; its medical school opened in 1972. Those developments help explain why the college is organized around clinical education and research rather than a conventional undergraduate campus.
The college now brings together professional, graduate, and health-sciences education under one institutional identity. Its programs span medical school, residency and fellowship training, biomedical science, allied health professions, and continuing professional education. The history of an individual school or program may be longer - or shorter - than that of the college as an institution.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is organized into five schools: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, and Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development.
The schools serve different applicants. The Alix School of Medicine offers the M.D. program; the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers research-focused graduate training; and the School of Graduate Medical Education oversees residencies and fellowships for physicians. The School of Health Sciences offers programs in fields such as clinical laboratory science, imaging, and other allied health professions. Continuing professional development primarily serves practicing professionals rather than applicants seeking an initial degree.
Not every program is based entirely in Rochester or awards a Mayo degree. Some health-sciences programs involve an affiliated college or university, and clinical training may take place at Mayo Clinic sites in other states. Applicants should check the credential awarded, degree-granting institution, and training location for their particular program.
The college's principal location is in Rochester, Minnesota, where education is closely connected to Mayo Clinic's clinical and research facilities. Rochester is a city rather than a traditional self-contained college town, so students may move among classrooms, laboratories, clinics, and community locations during a typical week.
Mayo Clinic also has major campuses in Arizona and Florida, and some programs place students at additional training sites. A college-wide description of Rochester therefore does not establish where a particular student will study or complete clinical rotations. Rochester International Airport serves the area, while Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is another travel option farther away. Commuting arrangements depend on the program's schedule and assigned sites.
The college's educational purpose is tied to Mayo Clinic's stated mission of integrating patient care, education, and research. In practical terms, its schools aim to prepare clinicians, scientists, and other health professionals through training connected to clinical practice and scientific inquiry.
That mission shapes the available choices: applicants seeking a broad liberal-arts curriculum or a conventional residential college experience will find a different academic model here. The institution's stated priorities describe what it intends to do; they should not be read as a guarantee of any individual student's training experience or career outcome.
Name of the institution
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: MidsizeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, graduate with no undergraduate degreesInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practice
Doctor's degree - otherData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.