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[Gubster]

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[deleted735879]

The University of Louisville has a dual degree program that allows you to earn a MS in oral biology (No additional tuition or time required. It's completed the same time as your DDS). University of Michigan has the Pathways program, which allows you to customize your curriculum, AKA allows time for you to shadow, research, and take classes related to specialties you'd be interested in. Each school has its own aspects that make it stand out. What do you want out of your four years at dental school? Make a list and compare it to what these schools offer.
I wanted a school that placed a heavy focus on clinical skills (Early access to patients, lot's of time spent in the clinic), plenty of research opportunities and time to do it, and was involved in serving the local community as well as opportunities to go on service trips to developing countries. Which is why I decided on Michigan!

 

[sgv]

Michigan is one of the best OMFS programs in the country with the very best attendings. If you want a great exposure to OMFS, Michigan is the place to be. The dental school is also a great institution with strengths in both clinics and didactics.

None of those BS experience mentioned above honestly matters if you're pursuing OMFS. Having the opportunity to be around notable attendings at Michigan is one of the best things you can do. Other important aspects is exposure to medical school which none of those programs have, time off to study for CBSE or extern, and LORs.

 

[Gubster]

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[ncide]

The University of Louisville has a dual degree program that allows you to earn a MS in oral biology (No additional tuition or time required. It's completed the same time as your DDS). University of Michigan has the Pathways program, which allows you to customize your curriculum, AKA allows time for you to shadow, research, and take classes related to specialties you'd be interested in. Each school has its own aspects that make it stand out. What do you want out of your four years at dental school? Make a list and compare it to what these schools offer.
I wanted a school that placed a heavy focus on clinical skills (Early access to patients, lot's of time spent in the clinic), plenty of research opportunities and time to do it, and was involved in serving the local community as well as opportunities to go on service trips to developing countries. Which is why I decided on Michigan!

I heard that there were problems with getting enough patients at U Mich from a few graduates? Is this true?

At VCU we are given early access to patients as well. We start treating patients in the second year. Just recalls (cleanings, x-rays, perio-charting, exams) in the first few months, but then we begin placing restorations in patients in the second semester.

I don't exactly know if our clinically heavy curriculum is so good for OMFS. Although plenty match into great programs each year, there is a lot of time and effort that needs to go towards our clinic skills. However, many of our biomed courses are taught by medical school faculty. Our pharmacology professor writes questions for the USMLE Step 1, so his course is pretty helpful in preparing for that subject in the CBSE.

The upside to VCU is just how approachable the OMFS faculty are. Each week we are invited to sit alongside the residents and OMFS doctors in presenting their cases. It is very easy to spend time in the OMFS clinic and have the ability to scrub in to see interesting cases first-hand as well. Our faculty are pretty well-respected in their field as well. Just the other day the head of our department was invited to speak in front of congress.

We take our boards in the first year, so you can spend some time studying for the CBSE after.