Any flexibility to a career in OMFS?

[Lodo]

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As a soon-to-enter dental school student, the work of an OMFS very much appeals to me (as much as I have observed and looked into it). However, how much variability is there in the commitment an oral surgeon can make to his/her profession? Is actually spending time with your family or having a life outside of your career possible? Do doctors share on-call hours? For those current OMFS residents out there, if you are married (w/ or w/o children) or moving in that direction have you found it to be difficult to find time for your relationships or do you anticipate issues in the future?

 

[rrc]

As a soon-to-enter dental school student, the work of an OMFS very much appeals to me (as much as I have observed and looked into it). However, how much variability is there in the commitment an oral surgeon can make to his/her profession? Is actually spending time with your family or having a life outside of your career possible? Do doctors share on-call hours? For those current OMFS residents out there, if you are married (w/ or w/o children) or moving in that direction have you found it to be difficult to find time for your relationships or do you anticipate issues in the future?

Residency was 100x more work than dental school. But I liked it a lot more because nothing can or will ever compare to the hell that is dental school.

I spend a ton of time with my family as a private practitioner. I work 4 1/2 days a week. I take only about 2 weeks vacation right now. And I take 1 week of call per month for the local hospital. And I do orthognathics and path/recon stuff; not just the teeth and titanium. I don't do cancer or cosmetics.

As far as residency goes, there is a huge discrepancy. There are some programs where all the residents end up divorced and others where they see the sun go down every day.

 

[Lodo]

Residency was 100x more work than dental school. But I liked it a lot more because nothing can or will ever compare to the hell that is dental school.

I spend a ton of time with my family as a private practitioner. I work 4 1/2 days a week. I take only about 2 weeks vacation right now. And I take 1 week of call per month for the local hospital. And I do orthognathics and path/recon stuff; not just the teeth and titanium. I don't do cancer or cosmetics.

As far as residency goes, there is a huge discrepancy. There are some programs where all the residents end up divorced and others where they see the sun go down every day.

If residency is 100x more work than dental school and dental school is hell...how is residency not hell x100? Is it b/c you enjoyed the topic of study and work of the residency but this wasn't true for your dental school experience?

Is that very common to work only 4.5 days a week? Does it take a lot of time of laying the groundwork in your career to have the freedom of a less hectic schedule. Or can this be possible early on in your career?

rrc, for you was it a matter of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (finishing your residency) and then your time very much freed up upon entering private practice or was it years and years of work before your practice could reach this point?

Why is there such a huge discrepancy b/w the OMFS residencies as far as how demanding it is? For the residencies where you say "all the residents end up divorced" do you see them as being stronger programs whereas the residencies "where they see the sun go down everyday" are ill-prepared? Is it common knowledge among applicants as to which of the two extremes of these residencies they are applying to...or do you not really know ahead of time? I'm highly considering the Navy for training. Any suggestions as to their residency training and their strengths/weaknesses?

It sounds like you do some very exciting/interesting procedures yet have a well-rounded life. That sounds very appealing. Sorry for the barrage of question, but thank you much for your help! 😀

 

[toofache32]

...For those current OMFS residents out there, if you are married (w/ or w/o children) or moving in that direction have you found it to be difficult to find time for your relationships or do you anticipate issues in the future?

I got married the summer before dental school. There is no way I could have done as well in dental school as I did without her selfless support. And it continues in residency now. But I think it depends on your relationship.

 

[rocknightmare]

Residency was 100x more work than dental school. But I liked it a lot more because nothing can or will ever compare to the hell that is dental school.

I spend a ton of time with my family as a private practitioner. I work 4 1/2 days a week. I take only about 2 weeks vacation right now. And I take 1 week of call per month for the local hospital. And I do orthognathics and path/recon stuff; not just the teeth and titanium. I don't do cancer or cosmetics.

As far as residency goes, there is a huge discrepancy. There are some programs where all the residents end up divorced and others where they see the sun go down every day.

when you take call how does it affect your private patients??? do you lighten the load of patients that week? or do you just work overtime? -- with orthognathics/path/recon do you work by yourself or as a team with another surgeon?

 

[rrc]

when you take call how does it affect your private patients??? do you lighten the load of patients that week? or do you just work overtime? -- with orthognathics/path/recon do you work by yourself or as a team with another surgeon?

Great questions. When I am on call there is no change to the private patient schedule. If an emergency comes then we just work them in or I see them after work at the hospital. Emergencies usually come in at 3am anyway.

And yes, for the bigger surgeries we will work as a 2 man team. Not for everything but if we are both available then we'll do it that way.