Uh oh... Class rank and OMFS

[ElPedorro]

So last spring I made the choice to attend a cheaper school over a more prestigious school (the cost difference was about $90k). I was happy with this choice until I started classes and realized how much stress the grading scheme brings. We are ranked at my school, whereas the other school I was considering is P/F. Feeling like I made a huge mistake and ruined my chances to ever specialize in OMFS. I will continue to try my hardest to be top of my class, but truth is, there are many, many smart people in my class and it's easier said than done. Maybe I'm just not cut out for that specialty.

Does anyone know where in your class you need to be to even have a shot at an OMFS residency? I know a lot of it falls on your CBSE scores, and that I'm asking you to speculate in regards to "chances", but maybe someone has some insight or advice that they're willing to share.

Can anyone relate to my situation? Worried I just made a terrible life choice ..........

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[sgv]

I've heard top 10% gets you a good chance. Top 25% gives you a chance. I think I'm quoting CMistry, "If you want to be top 10%, you aim for #1. If you want to be top 25%, you aim for top 10." I've always thought of internships as a way to make up for poor ranking so if you end up below top 25%, you're not entirely ****ed. However, some programs don't take in their own interns or don't take interns at all. The residents that I've met so far are incredibly smart. It's jaw dropping. If I ask one question, they could talk for 15 minutes quoting multiple articles and textbooks.

Doing well on the CBSE is critical regardless of your ranking.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2012-official-omfs-match-results.885919/

 

[Sublimazing]

Well well well, looks like someone regrets the cheaper school

 

[AZ12345]

Just keep working.... Everyone starts really strong but the grades drop off when people burn out, especially second year. Consistency is key... I know from experience

 

[sgv]

Just keep working.... Everyone starts really strong but the grades drop off when people burn out, especially second year. Consistency is key... I know from experience

The burn out is absolutely real...

 

[keeneye]

The goal is to get an interview. The goal is to get an interview. How do you get an interview? Well, do plenty of externships. If you can, do some research. Continue to do well, show upward trends if necessary. Ultimately, you would want to set yourself up by being in the top 10-15% of your class. But, if you are in the top 20% that is fine. Second to focusing on class rank is rocking the CBSE. It is so important now with part I being pass fail to do well on the CBSE. It gauges your readiness to take the step 1 and rocking this exam will only benefit you. Make sure to plan in advance to be able to take this exam twice or even three times and hopefully scoring better and better with each try.

So remember

the goal is to get an interview

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

What burn out? Get it together kids, in third year right now, and it feels like I'm just getting started. Lots of years left to go.

If you're burned out after first year, then maybe doing 4-6 years after dental school might not be your thing.

 

[AZ12345]

What burn out?

Burn out is the special thing that happens to other people

 

[besturmoie]

you are right,Everyone starts really strong but the grades drop off when people burn out, especially second year.thanks

 

[diasIItema]

I never wanted to do OMFS, but I, like you, turned down an Ivy for a less prestigious school, for certain reasons. I'm still ranked near the top of my class, but people are far more determined than I ever expected them to be for sure. I think it's curious you're so set on oral surgery having only completed a year of dental school; you have basically no hands-on exposure to the other 8 specialties and general dentistry yet. You should really wait and see what you're actually capable of and where your strengths lie.

All that being said, you just have to do what you can and stop worrying about other people. Get involved in EC's and leadership, do externships, do research, make bonds with professors, and so forth. Don't be one-dimensional. And if in the end all that fails, do a GPR/AEGD or practice for a year or two and eventually you'll get it. It's not the end of the world.

My advice: work hard, play hard and enjoy your (assuming) 20's; cross the OMFS bridge if and when you come to it

 

[Silent Cool]

So last spring I made the choice to attend a cheaper school over a more prestigious school (the cost difference was about $90k). I was happy with this choice until I started classes and realized how much stress the grading scheme brings. We are ranked at my school, whereas the other school I was considering is P/F. Feeling like I made a huge mistake and ruined my chances to ever specialize in OMFS. I will continue to try my hardest to be top of my class, but truth is, there are many, many smart people in my class and it's easier said than done. Maybe I'm just not cut out for that specialty.

Does anyone know where in your class you need to be to even have a shot at an OMFS residency? I know a lot of it falls on your CBSE scores, and that I'm asking you to speculate in regards to "chances", but maybe someone has some insight or advice that they're willing to share.

Can anyone relate to my situation? Worried I just made a terrible life choice ..........

The difficulty of matching OMFS is vastly overstated on these threads. I have read numerous anecdotes about people matching from the middle of their class, etc..
Do an internship if you don't match. Apply everywhere. Remember that dentists are lifestyle people and OMFS training is not lifestyle friendly. It's a self-selecting group.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

You can access the match statistics here:
https://natmatch.com/dentres/stats/2014sumstats.html

 

[Sublimazing]

The difficulty of matching OMFS is vastly overstated on these threads. I have read numerous anecdotes about people matching from the middle of their class, etc..
Do an internship if you don't match. Apply everywhere. Remember that dentists are lifestyle people and OMFS training is not lifestyle friendly. It's a self-selecting group.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

You can access the match statistics here:
https://natmatch.com/dentres/stats/2014sumstats.html

The mid and low tier programs aren't impossible...like you said an internship goes a long way with a 4 year program

But the top ten programs are very difficult to get into...and now that the cbse exists i think it will just get harder to match the top ten

 

[sgv]

The mid and low tier programs aren't impossible...like you said an internship goes a long way with a 4 year program

But the top ten programs are very difficult to get into...and now that the cbse exists i think it will just get harder to match the top ten

What's in tier 1 in terms of scope and how much you cut? I think of mgh, mayo, utsw, lsu and florida.

 

[Silent Cool]

Why on earth do people obsess over tiers and other BS? Seriously? No one cares--except the prestige-obsessed, elitist academics who stay in their ivory tower for a career. WTF.

 

[OMFS21]

Why on earth do people obsess over tiers and other BS? Seriously? No one cares--except the prestige-obsessed, elitist academics who stay in their ivory tower for a career. WTF.

Same reason people are willing to spend $$$ on Tom Ford or Gucci or Audi.....same reason schools usually say they want "balanced" and "selfless" students but than only reward those who posted elite scores on their standardized tests......bc the world is a bunch of label ******

......oh and because some people are trying to make up for "other shortcomings"

 

[Sublimazing]

Why on earth do people obsess over tiers and other BS? Seriously? No one cares--except the prestige-obsessed, elitist academics who stay in their ivory tower for a career. WTF.

Same reason people are willing to spend $$$ on Tom Ford or Gucci or Audi.....same reason schools usually say they want "balanced" and "selfless" students but than only reward those who posted elite scores on their standardized tests......bc the world is a bunch of label ******

......oh and because some people are trying to make up for "other shortcomings"

SGV was asking about omfs programs' rankings...these are not imaginary or academic, the training you receive varies GREATLY from program to program...if you don't understand that, then you have no familiarity with omfs

 

[OMFS21]

SGV was asking about omfs programs' rankings...these are not imaginary or academic, the training you receive varies GREATLY from program to program...if you don't understand that, then you have no familiarity with omfs

I never stated anything differently....and since I am an OMFS resident I hope I have SOME familiarity with the field.

The point I was making is that sometimes some of the "big name" programs (esp in regard to overall school/med school reputation) does not correlate with surgical training. A program that doesn't have the brand name in the real world may provide better overall surgical training than those which are part of a highly ranked school.

 

[Sublimazing]

I never stated anything differently....and since I am an OMFS resident I hope I have SOME familiarity with the field.

The point I was making is that sometimes some of the "big name" programs (esp in regard to overall school/med school reputation) does not correlate with surgical training. A program that doesn't have the brand name in the real world may provide better overall surgical training than those which are part of a highly ranked school.

The only programs i can think of in the normal top ten that have been accused of that are mgh and mayo...and both of those are great programs...so i'm not sure what you're referring too

 

[CMistry]

OP, work hard from early on and you'll end up an OMFS. That's really all it takes. Most people who get to dental school are either good at classwork or good at standardized tests, either should serve you well matching into residency. If OMFS were as hard to get into as this board makes it seem, there would only be 10 spots.