AEGD interview invite

[rodeo55]

What kinds of questions do AEGD interviews typically tend to ask? Is there a forum on this or anywhere I can look up questions for a specific program? Like NYU AEGD?

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[Vicviper]

<----- NYU/L AEGD Program Director (Visalia, CA)

Every program is different (There are like 50+ NYU AEGD Programs in the US), but in general you'll get asked a fairly similar set of questions, and it will usually extend out conversationally from there.

Why Dentistry?
Why an AEGD?
What are you looking for in a program?
What do you see yourself doing after you finish?
What are your clinical strengths and weaknesses?
What do you enjoy doing in dentistry?
What do you think about moving here?
Tell me about a time where you had a not so great outcome in dentistry, and what did you do about it / learn from it?
Tell me about your personal interests, what do you like doing for fun, etc
How are you with extractions?
How comfortable are you sectioning teeth?
How are you with root canals?
How are you with kids?

We're looking for honest answers to the above questions, we want to know that you'll get a good experience at a particular program, and we want to know what kind of baseline we have to work with, also, if one resident is weak with extractions or RCT, and another is strong in that, they can help each other learn. Also, the interview is as much a time for you to get to know us as for us to know you. Ask lots of questions.

All that said, there is one question that is the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW. A wrong answer to this question puts a huge bad mark on your application. That question is:

Do you have any questions for us?

If you answer no to that question, you will have a much lower chance of being accepted. Even if you don't have a question, just ask something you already know. Saying you don't have any questions makes you look extremely uninterested in the program.

Hope that helps!

 

[setdoc7]

Why did you apply to this program?
My #1 question. Some people have a great answer for this. Others have looked at me like a deer in the headlights. You should know where you are.
Given the choice, would you rather be skillful or lucky?
No correct answer, but I have gotten some excellent insight into who people are from this. A corporate question from a book on interviewing, which by the way is a good idea to read since no student I have met is an expert on this, and it will give you some great tips on how to answer/behave at an interview.
What if I told you at this point the interview was not going well?
Another corporate question. I know it rattles the candidate, but after all, not all procedures in dentistry go as we would expect. Some good corporate answers for this, and again it gives me some good insight into who the candidate really is and how they will deal with poor outcomes. Great answers to this question get into the program.
Just a few of my discarded questions.

 

[Swole DMD]

Why did you apply to this program?
My #1 question. Some people have a great answer for this. Others have looked at me like a deer in the headlights. You should know where you are.
Given the choice, would you rather be skillful or lucky?
No correct answer, but I have gotten some excellent insight into who people are from this. A corporate question from a book on interviewing, which by the way is a good idea to read since no student I have met is an expert on this, and it will give you some great tips on how to answer/behave at an interview.
What if I told you at this point the interview was not going well?
Another corporate question. I know it rattles the candidate, but after all, not all procedures in dentistry go as we would expect. Some good corporate answers for this, and again it gives me some good insight into who the candidate really is and how they will deal with poor outcomes. Great answers to this question get into the program.
Just a few of my discarded questions.

Is there a specific book on interviewing that you recommend? Or that dental students should just read-up in general as to be more prepared

 

[Vicviper]

I want people to be as natural as possible, its usually going to be very conversational, and I'd say most interviews will go that way. I want to get to know you, and see if our personalities are going to get along well for a year, and if you are someone who can learn. It's very important to do what you can to read up about the places you are applying and interviewing at, but you don't want to sound robotic. That's a big red flag if I feel like you're reading off of a script.

 

[lilohenry]

<----- NYU/L AEGD Program Director (Visalia, CA)

Every program is different (There are like 50+ NYU AEGD Programs in the US), but in general you'll get asked a fairly similar set of questions, and it will usually extend out conversationally from there.

Why Dentistry?
Why an AEGD?
What are you looking for in a program?
What do you see yourself doing after you finish?
What are your clinical strengths and weaknesses?
What do you enjoy doing in dentistry?
What do you think about moving here?
Tell me about a time where you had a not so great outcome in dentistry, and what did you do about it / learn from it?
Tell me about your personal interests, what do you like doing for fun, etc
How are you with extractions?
How comfortable are you sectioning teeth?
How are you with root canals?
How are you with kids?

We're looking for honest answers to the above questions, we want to know that you'll get a good experience at a particular program, and we want to know what kind of baseline we have to work with, also, if one resident is weak with extractions or RCT, and another is strong in that, they can help each other learn. Also, the interview is as much a time for you to get to know us as for us to know you. Ask lots of questions.

All that said, there is one question that is the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW. A wrong answer to this question puts a huge bad mark on your application. That question is:

Do you have any questions for us?

If you answer no to that question, you will have a much lower chance of being accepted. Even if you don't have a question, just ask something you already know. Saying you don't have any questions makes you look extremely uninterested in the program.

Hope that helps!

As Program Directors, is it part of the interview to make the candidate uncomfortable and discouraged, sounding like nothing that you have done is good enough, maybe to test them?

 

[shendo]

As Program Directors, is it part of the interview to make the candidate uncomfortable and discouraged, sounding like nothing that you have done is good enough, maybe to test them?

It really depends on the program director and their interview style. For me as a program director, I prefer having a more "casual" interview and don't believe in grilling/making the candidate feel uncomfortable. I know some program directors like to see how applicants respond in stressful environments so they intentionally ask difficult/uncomfortable questions.

 

[Vicviper]

As Program Directors, is it part of the interview to make the candidate uncomfortable and discouraged, sounding like nothing that you have done is good enough, maybe to test them?

I would say no, but it depends on the place. When I was applying for programs I interviewed for a place in LA, and the interviewer concluded the interview with "Hmm... well your grades aren't very good, and it seems like your clinical experience is somewhat limited... hmmm." This when I was in the top 1/2 of my class, extracurriculars up the wazoo, Class President, and feeling like I had done more clinical work than most of my other classmates. There was some awkward silence because I had no clue what to follow that up with. My conclusion was that he was just a jerk, and even if he did accept me, I wouldn't want to go to that program anyways.

I was just actually interviewing someone yesterday, and I was asking if they had used certain instruments or systems, and I got a few negative answers. They seemed a little down and said "Hmm, I guess I'm just striking out today." I said no, I'm just trying to gauge your experience level - I don't expect people applying to a program to get more experience to know how to do everything already.

 

[Dream follower]

Can anyone help me How is the interview process at Columbia University AEGD program?
What do they ask for a bench test?

 

[Dream follower]

Columbia University AEGD interview dates are November 19th and 20th.

 

[setdoc7]

My experience with conversational interviews is that they are just that...a conversation that you can have with anyone at a party, bar, get together, meeting, etc. this is an interview, and for all intents and purposes, I will be responsible for each resident and supervising them. For that reason alone, I am interested in seeing how they respond to difficult or no win situations. Although we are essentially colleagues, it is important for me, and perhaps not everyone, to know that the potential resident will follow instructions, be conscientious about patient care, and not disrupt the rest of the class. Everyone can be charming for 45 minutes, until something difficult or negative comes out of nowhere. Dental students are ALL high achievers, and are used to being highly successful. I need to see how they react to a poor outcome. We all have them.

 

[2TH MVR]

I am interested in seeing how they respond to difficult or no win situations.

Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

 

[milguk]

Why did you apply to this program?
My #1 question. Some people have a great answer for this. Others have looked at me like a deer in the headlights. You should know where you are.
Given the choice, would you rather be skillful or lucky?
No correct answer, but I have gotten some excellent insight into who people are from this. A corporate question from a book on interviewing, which by the way is a good idea to read since no student I have met is an expert on this, and it will give you some great tips on how to answer/behave at an interview.
What if I told you at this point the interview was not going well?
Another corporate question. I know it rattles the candidate, but after all, not all procedures in dentistry go as we would expect. Some good corporate answers for this, and again it gives me some good insight into who the candidate really is and how they will deal with poor outcomes. Great answers to this question get into the program.
Just a few of my discarded questions.

Hi, I know your comment is from last year but still wanted to ask you something.
What kinds of questions are we expected to ask about the program?
I mean, I do not want to ask the obvious questions regarding class size, patient pool, etc that are already stated in their program description. So, can my questions be more personal?

 

[predent2151]

<----- NYU/L AEGD Program Director (Visalia, CA)

Every program is different (There are like 50+ NYU AEGD Programs in the US), but in general you'll get asked a fairly similar set of questions, and it will usually extend out conversationally from there.

Why Dentistry?
Why an AEGD?
What are you looking for in a program?
What do you see yourself doing after you finish?
What are your clinical strengths and weaknesses?
What do you enjoy doing in dentistry?
What do you think about moving here?
Tell me about a time where you had a not so great outcome in dentistry, and what did you do about it / learn from it?
Tell me about your personal interests, what do you like doing for fun, etc
How are you with extractions?
How comfortable are you sectioning teeth?
How are you with root canals?
How are you with kids?

We're looking for honest answers to the above questions, we want to know that you'll get a good experience at a particular program, and we want to know what kind of baseline we have to work with, also, if one resident is weak with extractions or RCT, and another is strong in that, they can help each other learn. Also, the interview is as much a time for you to get to know us as for us to know you. Ask lots of questions.

All that said, there is one question that is the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW. A wrong answer to this question puts a huge bad mark on your application. That question is:

Do you have any questions for us?

If you answer no to that question, you will have a much lower chance of being accepted. Even if you don't have a question, just ask something you already know. Saying you don't have any questions makes you look extremely uninterested in the program.

Hope that helps!

I’ve been trying to find some rough stats for AEGD matching. What would you consider a “safe” class rank to shoot for if wanting to do an AEGD?

 

[BocasDelToro]

I’ve been trying to find some rough stats for AEGD matching. What would you consider a “safe” class rank to shoot for if wanting to do an AEGD?

Pretty much any 4th year dental student can get into one of the many AEGDs. Obviously a higher class rank will help you get into the more competitive programs. But if you're concerned about being accepted into at least one somewhere in the country, do not worry. And there's always post-match with spots available every year.

 

[predent2151]

Pretty much any 4th year dental student can get into one of the many AEGDs. Obviously a higher class rank will help you get into the more competitive programs. But if you're concerned about being accepted into at least one somewhere in the country, do not worry. And there's always post-match with spots available every year.

Thanks for your reply. I’m still a D1 and doing pretty well so I was just curious. I recently switched my mindset from wanting to go straight into practice ownership after 1-2 years of associateship to wanting to do an AEGD prior to maybe a transition into ownership. Is there any place to find specific information on various AEGDs? Which ones are really good, really bad, ect.?