OMS credentials

[The Masticator]

What are the typical credentials for matching in one of your top 4 or 5 programs? I am currently a D2 with NBDE I: 94 (Anat: 93, Biochem/Phys: 95, Micro/Path: 93 Dent: 94) and I don’t know my rank but my GPA is 3.94. I plan on doing research soon (start this semester). I want to stay in the southeast, what are my chances with schools like UF, VCU, MUSC, UNC etc.? I know it’s early, but I need to know what I need to do starting now if this is a possibility.

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[adamlc18]

Are you currently at one of those schools? That seems like it might help your chances.

 

[Yah-E]

What are the typical credentials for matching in one of your top 4 or 5 programs? I am currently a D2 with NBDE I: 94 (Anat: 93, Biochem/Phys: 95, Micro/Path: 93 Dent: 94) and I don’t know my rank but my GPA is 3.94. I plan on doing research soon (start this semester). I want to stay in the southeast, what are my chances with schools like UF, VCU, MUSC, UNC etc.? I know it’s early, but I need to know what I need to do starting now if this is a possibility.

You've obviously have the numbers down, now do some

E-X-T-E-R-N-S-H-I-P-S!!!!!!!!

 

[Bifid Uvula]

Are you currently at one of those schools? That seems like it might help your chances.

Do a search on this topic.... I'm sure there are literally hundreds of posts about this.

Spend AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE with the OMFS peeps at your school. Go on morning rounds 2-3 times/week, start staying at the hospital and taking trauma-call wih the residents. Try to do as many externships as you can afford time-wise. Be wise about your externship choices. Do a search about that too....

Make sure you cut off all ties with Perio, so you don't get more BS imbedded in your head.

 

[esclavo]

Do a search on this topic.... I'm sure there are literally hundreds of posts about this.

Spend AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE with the OMFS peeps at your school. Go on morning rounds 2-3 times/week, start staying at the hospital and taking trauma-call wih the residents. Try to do as many externships as you can afford time-wise. Be wise about your externship choices. Do a search about that too....

Make sure you cut off all ties with Perio, so you don't get more BS imbedded in your head.

Pass me some tissue... I'm all choked up with fatherly pride... my young Uvulae has passed on some sage advice....he's coming of age... Now I know what it will feel like when my own son starts to shave....

 

[toofache32]

Those scores are a little better than mine and I matched at my first choice.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

Pass me some tissue... I'm all choked up with fatherly pride... my young Uvulae has passed on some sage advice....he's coming of age... Now I know what it will feel like when my own son starts to shave....

I guess at this point i'm supposed to ask for the car keys???

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

Those scores are a little better than mine and I matched at my first choice.

Better stats than mine, too. And I only ranked a total of five places...

 

[The Masticator]

Thanks for the info guys! Much appreciated. I just have a couple more questions. First, where do you find out about externships and which schools have them? Second, if there is a better chance that you get into the program at the school that you attend, then what are your chances at getting into other programs when there are usually only a couple of spots? Would these spots not be filled by students in their pre-doc program? It seems to me that its a long shot outside of your own school.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

Thanks for the info guys! Much appreciated. I just have a couple more questions. First, where do you find out about externships and which schools have them? Second, if there is a better chance that you get into the program at the school that you attend, then what are your chances at getting into other programs when there are usually only a couple of spots? Would these spots not be filled by students in their pre-doc program? It seems to me that its a long shot outside of your own school.

Great externships: Parkland in Dallas, LSU-Shreveport (these are the two at which I know you get great hands-on experience)

As far as finding out about other ones, there is a book with a lot of info on all the programs, but I can't remember what it is. Some of the info is pretty inaccurate. Here is the AAOMS web-listing of accredited programs--you can start here. Pick a program that you're interested in externing with, and then call them for the details. That's the best way.

http://www.aaoms.org/residencytraining.cfm

I'd start with one of these, and then try to do a couple at other programs that you're very interested in. The more exposure that you can get, the better. The more a program can get to know you, the better. However, be aware that you can also decrease your chances of going to a program by screwing around while you extern there.

As far as programs only taking people from their own dental school, I don't think that there's a program in the country that takes both residents every year from inside. I think there may be a few that usually end up with one of their own each year, but I think those tend to be few. I'm sure some other guys will pipe in and correct me if I'm wrong on this point.

I'm at Shreve, and I didn't extern here. Neither did my co-resident. It's not a necessity to extern somewhere in order to match there, but it can help you. We've had 6 or 7 externs since I've been here, and I'd only want to work with about half of them. Nothing burns me more than when an extern decides not to get up at 3AM for a call or doesn't get up to pre-round in the morning. This doesn't exactly give the impression that you're a hard worker. The guys that extern here that we tend to like are the guys that go home dead tired from taking call every night for two weeks. The nights to not take call are the nights when we tell you, "For God sakes, man, take a night off." Even then, if you still insist on getting up for calls, then you are going to make a good impression with everyone.

It's good that you're thinking about all of this early. I wasn't nearly as well-prepared...

 

[toofache32]

Second, if there is a better chance that you get into the program at the school that you attend, then what are your chances at getting into other programs when there are usually only a couple of spots? Would these spots not be filled by students in their pre-doc program? It seems to me that its a long shot outside of your own school.

Residencies generally don't care where you're from like the dental school admissions people do. That being said, there are a few places that seem to always give one spot to one of their own people. But on the whole, they are only interested in the best candidate.

 

[esclavo]

Thanks for the info guys! Much appreciated. I just have a couple more questions. First, where do you find out about externships and which schools have them? Second, if there is a better chance that you get into the program at the school that you attend, then what are your chances at getting into other programs when there are usually only a couple of spots? Would these spots not be filled by students in their pre-doc program? It seems to me that its a long shot outside of your own school.

From what I've heard, New Orleans (where ever it is now) and Minnesota had good externships. Go to your OMFS department. Tons of programs send letters to all dental schools for externship opportunities. The aaoms.org website -go to carreers and look under the externship option. When I interviewed at Souther Cal, it looked like a Shreveport, New Orleans type of place. Looked like there was potential for an externship....I personally like Shreve. Apply, get invited, just show up, they do the rest. Fed me, put me in a call room, and worked me until I couldn't see straight. Fantastic experience. Sealed the deal....Just cost me a plane ticket and a ride to and from airport....

 

[Extraction]

If I remember correctly, Alabama, Vanderbilt and Nebraska all had call rooms that you could stay in for free while externing.

 

[mike3kgt]

From what I've heard, New Orleans (where ever it is now) and Minnesota had good externships. Go to your OMFS department. Tons of programs send letters to all dental schools for externship opportunities. The aaoms.org website -go to carreers and look under the externship option. When I interviewed at Souther Cal, it looked like a Shreveport, New Orleans type of place. Looked like there was potential for an externship....I personally like Shreve. Apply, get invited, just show up, they do the rest. Fed me, put me in a call room, and worked me until I couldn't see straight. Fantastic experience. Sealed the deal....Just cost me a plane ticket and a ride to and from airport....

What did you think about USC? I a fan of the city life and LA is one hell of a city. I also inquired about externships but they do only 1 month stints and my university will not allow such a long externship. Damn dental school!

-Mike

 

[north2southOMFS]

I know it’s early, but I need to know what I need to do starting now if this is a possibility.

I heard this guy named toofache married the program directors daughter.

 

[toofache32]

I heard this guy named toofache married the program directors daughter.

Didn't marry...just shagged. Get your facts straight.

 

[adamlc18]

I heard this guy named toofache married the program directors daughter.

I had heard something a little more off-color having to do with the director's son.

 

[esclavo]

What did you think about USC? I a fan of the city life and LA is one hell of a city. I also inquired about externships but they do only 1 month stints and my university will not allow such a long externship. Damn dental school!

-Mike

The program director Yama****a looked like Mr. Miagi from Karate Kid. He was extra sarcastic and had a wild sense of humor. I'd been to LA many times (being from AZ) but not the part of LA that has the county hospital. I'm mexican, and even I was intimidated by how many mexicans were around. I'm a small town country kid and while I would have gladly gone there had I matched there (beggars can't be choosers), I would've definately been a fish out of water. The hospital was enourmous and old. It wasn't as bad as the old Cook County Hospital though. They had two 6 year spots and one 4 year spot. Parking was cumbersome and like many places, part of the hospital was under construction. If you speak spanish, you could really manuvere well and get alot done (kind of reminded me of Cook Cnty in some ways). It was my second choice.

Funny story. I arrived about an hour early for the interview at USC because a local friend of mine who I stayed with dropped me off at the hospital. I walked in the main front entry on a Saturday morning early December. The entrance of the hospital is beautiful-old-all marble with pillars etcetera. No one was around except a security guard next to the metal detector at the end of the magnificent entry way. I sat on an old dark leather couch next to what looked like a possible drunk/vagrant who was using the couch as his bed. As others started to show up and proceed through the metal detector, I felt something wet on my my pant suit leg. When I stood up, and touched the wet spot on my back side/leg my fingers showed bright red. I looked at the guy laying on the couch and touched his coat, it opened up revealing big mother of Davy Crocket knife stuck in his thorax! I screamed down the hall at the security guard to get some help. He just stared at me. I ran down to him thinking he hadn't heard me. I explained the situation and he looked at me all unimpressed and said, "yeah, we'll get to that, please empty your pockets and walk through the machine if you want to enter the hospital..." I thought, holy sweet mother of Jimanji, life is cheap here....

 

[esclavo]

What are the typical credentials for matching in one of your top 4 or 5 programs? I am currently a D2 with NBDE I: 94 (Anat: 93, Biochem/Phys: 95, Micro/Path: 93 Dent: 94) and I don’t know my rank but my GPA is 3.94. I plan on doing research soon (start this semester). I want to stay in the southeast, what are my chances with schools like UF, VCU, MUSC, UNC etc.? I know it’s early, but I need to know what I need to do starting now if this is a possibility.

Spend your Christmas break snuggled up to an ER bed with a warm cup of hot chocolate or egg nog and some 4.0 vicryl and 5.0 prolene suture. Spring break, rub some sun block all over your body so that you don't get a OR overhead light burn on your proboscus. Feel the water splash on you from the pulse irrigator. For a couple of weeks enjoy the fabulous cuisine of the "five-star" chef's down in the dungeon of the hospital cafeteria. Gotta do what you gotta do to "buff" and "turf" your resume/CV/application... cause the gold foil award doesn't go far on your dossier....

 

[omfs44]

With that kind of stats, you don't need to go hardcore, you will get matched some where (both 4 and 6 year programs). But if you want to go to popular program (i.e. parkland, usc, LSU--if it still exists...etc), then you definitely need to do externship at that instuition. I think most of the pre-omfs people on this forum are overkilling on the amount of externships. Just my 2 cents. Time to get back for more pelvic exams....(always tell the patient you're a dentist during the delivery, and you should see their face!)

 

[Extraction]

What are the typical credentials for matching in one of your top 4 or 5 programs? I am currently a D2 with NBDE I: 94 (Anat: 93, Biochem/Phys: 95, Micro/Path: 93 Dent: 94) and I don’t know my rank but my GPA is 3.94. I plan on doing research soon (start this semester). I want to stay in the southeast, what are my chances with schools like UF, VCU, MUSC, UNC etc.? I know it’s early, but I need to know what I need to do starting now if this is a possibility.

Make sure you get good recommendations. Make yourself known to your own schools OMFS program director and chairman. You will need three solid letters from respected and known oral surgeons. No one will care what your operative instructor, or basic science instructor has to say about you.

 

[toofache32]

...Time to get back for more pelvic exams....(always tell the patient you're a dentist during the delivery, and you should see their face!)

I hated OB/GYN with a passion. I would just look down there at all those gums and I didn't know whether to do a pap smear or make an alginate for dentures.

 

[Doggie]

I hated OB/GYN with a passion. I would just look down there at all those gums and I didn't know whether to do a pap smear or make an alginate for dentures.

We just learned how to perform the prostate exams today....... oh joy!

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

We just learned how to perform the prostate exams today....... oh joy!

I had to learn in the ER by ever so tactfully slipping my finger into a drunk guy's ass. The guy gets wasted, and then repeatedly show up to the ER c/o abdominal pain. After doing my duty, he says to me, "Daaaaamn, doc! This must be your specialty! You stuck your finger in WAY farther than the last guy." The scariest part about the whole thing is that he requested me the next time...just kidding...I gave him my cell #...

 

[omfs44]

of course we're good at giving prostate exam. it's essentially the same idea, just a different orifice...

 

[esclavo]

We just learned how to perform the prostate exams today....... oh joy!

I hated OB/GYN with a passion. I would just look down there at all those gums and I didn't know whether to do a pap smear or make an alginate for dentures.


Those experiences scarred me for life. That !@#$% crap is why I didn't want to go to med school. So I go to dental school. Then I decide to do OMFS and I have to go do that frickin crap that I originally tried to avoid like the black plague! I feel sometimes I got blind sided. Its like the butts and genitals of the world ganged up on me and were destined to find me and force me to touch them. I still don't remember my first gyne exam. It was an out of body experience. She was 300+ pounds and the instructor said, "can you feel the cervix". I said I can't, I have small hands and short fingers, I'm just a dentist. He said "lean your wait into your elbow", then she proceeded to grab my arm and a pulled my whole frickin hand in! I almost went in head first. I decided at that time, truth wasn't important. I screamed, "I feel the cervix!" I went home and felt violated. I had to take a shower, snuggle up in a blanket and have a good cry.... I admire those in 6 years who can stomach that stuff. I disagree that they other end is like the end we work on. Tell me the last time a person wore underwear and pants on their head and smiled at you with their anus?

 

[toofache32]

We just learned how to perform the prostate exams today....... oh joy!

I didn't use lube for my first few rectals looking for occult blood. No wonder they were all positive.

 

[omfs44]

I didn't use lube for my first few rectals looking for occult blood. No wonder they were all positive.

Haha...u really cracked me up!

 

[Bifid Uvula]

of course we're good at giving prostate exam. it's essentially the same idea, just a different orifice...

what disturbs me is that both ends have a tendency to snap at you. its a miracle we go home every day with all 10 fingers.

 

[tx oms]

Gotta do what you gotta do to "buff" and "turf" your resume/CV/application.

Nice semi-obscure references. Does anyone here know what the "card flip" is?

 

[toofache32]

Does anyone here know what the "card flip" is?

I can proudly say no.


But now I would love to know what it is.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

I didn't use lube for my first few rectals looking for occult blood. No wonder they were all positive.

Geez, that's funny...because it wasn't me...

 

[esclavo]

With that kind of stats, you don't need to go hardcore, you will get matched some where (both 4 and 6 year programs). But if you want to go to popular program (i.e. parkland, usc, LSU--if it still exists...etc), then you definitely need to do externship at that instuition. I think most of the pre-omfs people on this forum are overkilling on the amount of externships. Just my 2 cents. Time to get back for more pelvic exams....(always tell the patient you're a dentist during the delivery, and you should see their face!)

As many of us have emphasized the importance of good externships, the reply above reminds us of the need to have balance. If you have an 84 on NBI 10,000 externships aren't going to make up for it. Wisdom would say to take some externship time to studying and retaking boards. I feel bad for guys with everything else but a "sore thumb" for a board score. I know they work hard to do everything else but that mediocre board score sticks out on the application like a big zit on the face of a super-model.... I know there are some frustrated people deserving of residency but they need to retake boards... I hope we haven't misled anyone to think differently

 

[tx oms]

I can proudly say no.


But now I would love to know what it is.

"Buffing", "turfing", and the "card flip" are all terms from House of God by Sam Shem. Awesome book about the life of an intern. On the first day of internship the intern shows up and asks about rounds. His upper level says, "Good Lord man, these hands don't touch patients! We're going to do a card flip!" Then, the upper level flips through index cards with the patients' names on them and asks the interns how the patient is doing.

 

[toofache32]

"Buffing", "turfing", and the "card flip" are all terms from House of God by Sam Shem. Awesome book about the life of an intern. On the first day of internship the intern shows up and asks about rounds. His upper level says, "Good Lord man, these hands don't touch patients! We're going to do a card flip!" Then, the upper level flips through index cards with the patients' names on them and asks the interns how the patient is doing.

I know that context, but I thought it was something juicier.....like the "Dirty Juanita."

 

[tx oms]

I know that context, but I thought it was something juicier.....like the "Dirty Juanita."

Like this?

 

[toofache32]

Like this?

You're one sick motherscratcher. I LOVE IT!

 

[TiggerJSA]

Thought I might throw this out there. I'm trying to get as many opinions as possible for each program I'm interviewing at. Can anyone offer some feedback on Alabama, Parkland, Michigan, Oregon, Maryland, LSU Shreveport, Louisville, and Jacksonville?? All feedback, posivitve/negative, and details are appreciated. Thanks to any assistance!!

 

[toofache32]

Like this?

The Coyote (#8) is my favorite. I had to pull that one on OMFSRES's mom.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

The Coyote (#8) is my favorite. I had to pull that one on OMFSRES's mom.

I'd look into getting a Minnesota attached to my prosthesis if I were missing that arm...wouldn't that be convenient...

 

[omfsres]

.

 

[Extraction]

Thought I might throw this out there. I'm trying to get as many opinions as possible for each program I'm interviewing at. Can anyone offer some feedback on Alabama, Parkland, Michigan, Oregon, Maryland, LSU Shreveport, Louisville, and Jacksonville?? All feedback, posivitve/negative, and details are appreciated. Thanks to any assistance!!

Alabama, Parkland, Oregon, and LSU Shreveport are all solid programs where you get to cut alot. I have heard Louisville is good since they pay you the entire time. Miami and Univ of Florida are the best Florida programs... Michigan and Maryland are reputed to be malignant literally and figuratively.