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Education
As healthcare evolves at an unprecedented pace, Mayo Clinic is investing in lifelong learning to prepare the workforce for the future of medicine.
Healthcare is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Advances in artificial intelligence, precision medicine, digital health and quality improvement are transforming how care is delivered, while new knowledge and evolving professional standards require clinicians to continually adapt.
For healthcare organizations, keeping pace is about more than meeting licensure or certification requirements. It requires a workforce prepared to respond to emerging technologies, new models of care and rapidly expanding medical knowledge while continuing to deliver the highest quality patient care.
At Mayo Clinic, continuous professional development is a strategic investment in that future.
Through Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development (CPD), education is embedded into professional practice across the organization, helping physicians, advanced practice professionals, allied health professionals and other staff continuously build the knowledge and skills needed to advance patient care, research and education.
“Learning doesn’t end when someone joins Mayo Clinic — it becomes part of how we practice every day,” says William Palmer, M.D., dean of Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development. “Continuous professional development helps our staff stay current in rapidly changing fields while reinforcing the curiosity, collaboration and commitment to excellence that defines Mayo Clinic. Investing in lifelong learning is ultimately an investment in better care for our patients.”
Preparing the workforce for artificial intelligence
Few developments are reshaping healthcare as rapidly as artificial intelligence (AI). Mayo Clinic is approaching AI education with the same evidence-based philosophy that guides its clinical practice.
The Practical Applications of AI at Mayo Clinic course, launched in spring 2026, focuses on real-world examples of how Mayo Clinic staff and leaders are applying AI across clinical practice, research, education and administrative work. Rather than exploring AI as a future possibility, the course demonstrates how these tools are already being used within a framework of responsible governance and patient-centered innovation.
Directed by Atul Jain, M.D., M.S., the course offers up to eight types of continuing education credit.
“Artificial intelligence is already changing how healthcare is delivered,” said Dr. Jain. “Our goal isn’t simply to introduce AI concepts — it’s to help members of the healthcare workforce understand how Mayo Clinic is using these tools responsibly and to provide practical knowledge they can apply in their own work.”
The AI Foundations and Applications for Emerging Digital Leaders course, launched in 2024, complements this work and reflects growing interest among staff in developing the knowledge and skills needed to responsibly integrate AI into healthcare.
Learning as a cornerstone of excellence
Lifelong learning has long been embedded in Mayo Clinic’s culture.
That commitment is reflected in the scale of CPD’s educational ecosystem. In 2025, the school supported 191 regularly scheduled series, including grand rounds, journal clubs, morbidity and mortality conferences and other recurring educational activities, that together delivered more than 6,000 educational sessions.
For the 191 regularly scheduled series alone, CPD awarded more than 87,000 continuing education credits, helping employees maintain professional competencies, fulfill licensure requirements and stay current in rapidly evolving fields. The school also supports Maintenance of Certification requirements for physicians and physician assistants, reinforcing the connection between professional learning, operational improvement and patient outcomes.
An accessible, century-long commitment to professional growth
Mayo Clinic’s commitment to continuous learning is not new.
This year, Clinical Reviews in RST, one of CPD’s longest-running educational programs, celebrates its 100th anniversary. While educational formats have evolved dramatically over the past century, the underlying principle has remained constant: Patient care depends on clinicians who never stop learning.
And as healthcare professionals face increasing demands on their time, education must become more accessible without sacrificing quality.
CPD has expanded learning beyond traditional conferences through online courses, podcasts, journal-based education and self-paced learning that allow healthcare professionals to access trusted education whenever and wherever it best fits their schedules.
One example is Mayo Clinic Talks, a weekly podcast that delivers timely discussions on common clinical conditions and emerging topics across primary care and specialty practice.
The school’s online continuing medical education platform also offers hundreds of learning opportunities across specialties and professions, providing clinicians with flexible access to evidence-based education.
Investing in the future of healthcare
As medicine becomes more complex and innovation accelerates, organizations that embed learning into everyday practice are better positioned to improve care, advance discovery and prepare for what comes next.
“Education has always been central to Mayo Clinic’s mission,” says Dr. Palmer. “By expanding access to emerging areas of learning, we are investing in our people and empowering them to deliver the highest-quality care, research and education for the patients and communities we serve.”
By treating continuous learning as a strategic capability rather than simply a professional requirement, Mayo Clinic is helping define what lifelong learning looks like in modern healthcare.
