Career exploration offers high school students exposure to career options at Mayo Clinic through a variety of real-world learning experiences and programs to help students discover a life-changing career.

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Discover Mayo Clinic Meet & Greet

Discover Mayo Clinic Meet & Greet (formerly called Career Observations) provides high school students in grades 10-12 and 2- or 4-year college undergraduate students with the opportunity to meet and learn from a Mayo Clinic professional about a career the student is considering. The high school students can spend up to 1 day and college undergraduate students can spend up to 5 days with the professional. We do require that a confidentiality agreement be signed in the event the student is exposed to confidential information, and they are to treat it as such. Essentially the student will learn from Mayo staff what a day in the life looks like, what tools they may use for their profession, what drew them to their career, what training they received to pursue their career, what they can do now in school to prepare to pursue that career path.

High School Students

  • Students cannot have access to patient information or access to confidential information.
  • Must complete the Compliance Training before completing the application.
  • Students are not allowed in surgical areas, suites, nor view virtually.
  • Students are not allowed to observe patient interaction even with patient consent.
  • Students are not allowed physical contact with the patient or family.

College Undergraduate Students

  • Students cannot have access to patient information or access to confidential information.
  • Must complete the Compliance Training before completing the application.
  • Students are not allowed in surgical areas, suites, nor view virtually.
  • Students can only observe non-patient care careers.
  • For patient care career observations, students will go through Education Visitors Office – Observer Program.

High School Student - How to Apply

  1. Student identifies and contacts potential Mayo Clinic Host(s).
  2. Once a Host has been identified, student reviews the Compliance Training.
  3. Student and Host will confirm dates, times, and location of experience. Please set the Meet & Greet date 7-14 business days from date of application submission to allow for clearance.
  4. Host and Supervisor will complete their agreement and provide the signed copy to the student to attach to their application.
  5. Student completes the Guidelines and Confidentiality Agreements before they complete the application.
  6. Once application has been received, the applicant’s information will be uploaded into the Non-Employee Access System.
  7. Applicant will receive an email to virtually verify their identity.
  8. Once the applicant has been cleared, all parties will receive a clearance email for the Meet & Greet to commence.
  9. On the date of the Meet & Greet, applicant is to adhere to all protocols.

College Undergraduate Student - How to Apply for Discover Mayo Clinic Meet & Greet

  1. Student identifies and contacts potential Mayo Clinic Host(s).
  2. Student reviews the Compliance Training.
  3. Student and Host will confirm dates, times, and location of experience. Please set the Meet & Greet date 7-14 business days from date of application submission to allow for clearance.
  4. Host and Supervisor will complete their agreement and provide the signed copy to the student to attach to their application.
  5. Student completes the Guidelines and Confidentiality Agreements before they complete the application.
  6. Once application has been received, the applicant’s information will be uploaded into the Non-Employee Access System.
  7. Applicant will receive an email to virtually verify their identity.
  8. Once the applicant has been cleared, all parties will receive a clearance email for the observation to commence.
  9. On the date of observation, applicant is to adhere to all protocols.

College Undergraduate Student - How to Apply for Education Visitors Office – Observer Program

  1. Student identifies and contacts potential Mayo Clinic Observation Host(s).
  2. To initiate an observation request, Mayo Clinic Host emails MCCMSVisitors@mayo.edu:
    1. The visitor's CV/resume
    2. The requested observation dates
    3. Name of the Mayo Clinic host sponsor (the individual the visitor will be observing) *Host cannot be a resident/fellow or a relative of the visitor.

When determining observation dates, please keep in mind:

    • Abbreviated visits (5 days or less) require a minimum notice of two-weeks to onboard.
    • Standard visits (6 days or more) require a minimum notice of two-months to onboard.

Approval & Onboarding Process: 

    • Once the Education Visitors Office receives the initial request (visitors CV/resume, requested observation dates, and name of host sponsor), an email will be sent to the visitor to submit their online application (Recruit). The onboarding process cannot start until the visitor submits their application.
    • When the visitor submits their application whomever they entered as their "Host" will receive the online host agreement to complete. The Host Agreement will ask for dates of the visit, support staff contact information (if applicable), as well as the Host's Administrator contact information.
    • Upon completion of the Host Agreement, it will automatically be routed for approval to whomever the Host entered as the Department Chair/Administrator.
    • Once both Host and Administrator Agreements have been signed, the Education Visitors Office would then send the required onboarding materials to the visitor to complete.
    • The visitor will submit their required documentation via their online application portal. The Education Visitors Office must review for accuracy and only at that time will a final approval be sent via automated email, copying all parties involved.

Important Reminders:

    • EVO team does not work over the weekends. For Monday start dates, if compliance documents have not been received and an approval email has not been sent out by Friday afternoon at 3:00pm EST, the visitor will NOT be approved, and the start of their observation will be delayed.
    • During summer/winter months our office receives a surge in requests due to students seeking observerships over their school break. Please submit all requests for observations well in advance to allow for the proper onboarding for our visitors.
    • Undergraduate students are limited to maximum of 5 days observing per calendar year.