OMFS and what you guys think?

[EyeAmCommi]

Why do some people view oral and maxillofacial surgery (an MD program) as a back door to medicine? Dentists have to complete their DDS and medical school to get their degree.

Please enlighten me with your opinions because I don't understand the problems MDs have with DDS/MDs.

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[Pikevillemedstudent]

First off, I think you asked this in the wrong thread.

OMFS are well trained surgeons and I would certainly trust them with any facial trauma.

Some of the problems result when OMFS guys try to expand their practice into other fields like plastics and otolaryngology. Also, not all OMFS programs require the MD(I am not sure why). OMFS make the majority of their income from pulling wisdom teeth, therefore pulling teeth=dentists and not a real doc to some physicians.

I have seen OMFS take care of a wide variety of patients and manage them well. I have no problems with them and I do not consider it a back door to medicine.

 

[EyeAmCommi]

First off, I think you asked this in the wrong thread.

OMFS are well trained surgeons and I would certainly trust them with any facial trauma.

Some of the problems result when OMFS guys try to expand their practice into other fields like plastics and otolaryngology. Also, not all OMFS programs require the MD(I am not sure why). OMFS make the majority of their income from pulling wisdom teeth, therefore pulling teeth=dentists and not a real doc to some physicians.

I have seen OMFS take care of a wide variety of patients and manage them well. I have no problems with them and I do not consider it a back door to medicine.

Thanks for your response!

I guess I'm refering to the 6-year MD program after dental school and not the 4 year program with no MD. But I wanted to know from pre-meds and those who are doctors/student doctors what they think so that's why I'm in this thread. I guess I wanted "the beef" from a med student's point of view.

 

[efex101]

I have "never" heard of any medical student or physician saying or insinuating the above...I have no clue where you got this notion but IMHO it is completely incorrect.

 

[beanbean]

The only time I have heard anyone imply that OMFS docs shouldn't get MD's was by premeds here on SDN. Anyone who thinks OMFS is an "easy shortcut" to betting an MD is insane. The only thing they "skip" is the first two years of basic science curriculum as med students. This makes perfect sense since they already completed this coursework in dental school.

 

[efex101]

At my school OMS students do "not" get to skip the first two years of basic science.