Average dental student in specialty programs

[bu2008]

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As an average middle of the road student at my dental school, I was wondering what type of specialties I would be able to do with a moderate class ranking (maybe top 50%) and moderate board scores (above 80?). Can it be that desire can go a long way or do they just look at the stats and not the person behind them. I really want to do a specialty because I would feel more comfortable at being exceptional at one area that I can focus on rather than general. What are my options lets say if I am 50% or better and get above an 82% on my boards I???????????? Thanks for your input everyone.
By the way Ill pretty much do anything it takes as specializing is what I really want to do.

 

[jpollei]

As an average middle of the road student at my dental school, I was wondering what type of specialties I would be able to do with a moderate class ranking (maybe top 50%) and moderate board scores (above 80?). Can it be that desire can go a long way or do they just look at the stats and not the person behind them. I really want to do a specialty because I would feel more comfortable at being exceptional at one area that I can focus on rather than general. What are my options lets say if I am 50% or better and get above an 82% on my boards I???????????? Thanks for your input everyone.
By the way Ill pretty much do anything it takes as specializing is what I really want to do.

Best bet is to actually pick the specialty you are interested in...since most are very different and appeal to different people.

Then, a good place to start is old threads/posts...check those out and you are bound to find some info on OMFS, pedo, ortho, endo, etc specialties that will give you some anecdotal input. If you still have questions after that, posting something a bit more specific about a certain specialty might be more helpful to you.

But in case you graduate in '08 (as your screenname might suggest), don't scuttle the idea of general practice yet...wait until you have a year or two of experience in clinic. People's minds often change quickly in school...

 

[shopaholic]

If you don't have an "in" with someone somewhere, then your best bets are perio, pros, oral pathology and OEC ortho.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

As an average middle of the road student at my dental school, I was wondering what type of specialties I would be able to do with a moderate class ranking (maybe top 50%) and moderate board scores (above 80?). Can it be that desire can go a long way or do they just look at the stats and not the person behind them. I really want to do a specialty because I would feel more comfortable at being exceptional at one area that I can focus on rather than general. What are my options lets say if I am 50% or better and get above an 82% on my boards I???????????? Thanks for your input everyone.
By the way Ill pretty much do anything it takes as specializing is what I really want to do.

You seem to want to just specialize for the sake of being a "specialist" cause you didnt post what speciality you were dying to get into....is it cause of money, prestige??? Because most people who wanna specialize know exactly what they want to specialize in and focus their career on it....you seem like the kinda person who would take any specialty he can get.

Also, you do realize that as a general dentist you can specialize in certain procedures that you enjoy and limit your practice to that procedure of your expertise. So by you saying that you wanna be a specialist only because you wanna excel in one area....I just dont buy it. There is more to your story and to be honest, I smell a gold digger or a prestige-aholic.

 

[zdaddy08]

You seem to want to just specialize for the sake of being a "specialist" cause you didnt post what speciality you were dying to get into....is it cause of money, prestige??? Because most people who wanna specialize know exactly what they want to specialize in and focus their career on it....you seem like the kinda person who would take any specialty he can get.

Also, you do realize that as a general dentist you can specialize in certain procedures that you enjoy and limit your practice to that procedure of your expertise. So by you saying that you wanna be a specialist only because you wanna excel in one area....I just dont buy it. There is more to your story and to be honest, I smell a gold digger or a prestige-aholic.

...and i dont see anything wrong with that... With that being said, i would look in to perio or prost, although some say that perio may be harder to get into in the next few years.... 👍

 

[onetoothleft]

What year are you? If you are in 2008 you have plenty of time to step it up and improve your boards and grades.

 

[Dr.SpongeBobDDS]

Perio is iffy, but you could probably get into prosth somewhere. The prosth faculty at my school are BEGGING for students to apply.

 

[45540]

Are prosthodontics programs really that easy to get into? So far Prosth seems the most interesting program i've encountered but i don't really see the real advantage over GP work. Granted you'll have much more training and be more adept, but can anyone share any experiences with it? Or externships associated with it.

 

[Col Sanders]

By the way Ill pretty much do anything it takes as specializing is what I really want to do.

If you'll do ANYTHING the best thing to do, would be to do what most everyone does to get into specialty school-work on board scores and grades.

 

[grtuck]

By the way Ill pretty much do anything it takes as specializing is what I really want to do.

If you are serious about being willing to do anything it takes then I have a very good idea for you. This isn't meant to be rude or anything, but how about working real hard at getting real good grades and board scores. Seriously that is about the easiest way to "do what it takes" from what I have seen. Now, if you are working your hardest and doing everything you can do to be where you are at, then I would look at other options such as brown nosing or extra-curricular activities to boost your CV. 🙂

 

[jpollei]

If you are serious about being willing to do anything it takes then I have a very good idea for you. This isn't meant to be rude or anything, but how about working real hard at getting real good grades and board scores. Seriouisly that is about the easiest way to "do what it takes" from what I have seen. Now, if you are working your hardest and doing everything you can do to be where you are at, then I would look at other options such as brown nosing or extra-curricular activities to boost your CV. 🙂

Gunner. 🙂 No, really grtuck can probably talk as well as anyone...I'd put money on him against any other 3rd year dental student in the country. He's that good an all-around student.

 

[adamlc18]

Gunner. 🙂 No, really grtuck can probably talk as well as anyone...I'd put money on him against any other 3rd year dental student in the country. He's that good an all-around student.

Neither of you jokers know a thing. Especially that grtuck fellow. He may have better grades than me, but I can take him where it counts...Halo 2. On a side note, one of you guys should do surgery so you can boss me around in 4 years if I am fortunate enough to land somewhere.

 

[DcS]

Don't listen to jpollei or grtuck, they won't even remember how to use a handpiece in 3 years. Listen to us pedo people and you'll be ok 😉


In all seriousness, I hope average students don't stand any chance at specializing. Why should they, when I spent my 4 years of dental school busting my chops getting good grades, high board scores and perfecting clinical and personal skills? LYou seem to want to specialize just for the sake of specializing. Unless you really have a passion for something you will not like your career if you do it for the prestige/money.

 

[rrc]

Please take this advice if considering OMFS. If you are an average student then that's fine. And there is a good chance you will someday get into an OMFS program. But please be aware that getting into the specialty program is only the beginning of a long an arduous journey.

What I am saying is that, if you cannot be at the top of your class in dental school, you will most likely have an extremely difficult time making it in an OMS program. I have known residents in this situation and many have either quit or have gotten kicked out.

Thus, acceptance is only the first process in a very demanding and time consuming field. If you are not willing to put the time into honors level work in dental school, then I dont see how you could possibly put in the 80+ hours per week at the hospital in addition to the extensive reading and research that must be done on your own time to succeed.

I dont mean to be brash but just telling you how it is.

 

[VancouverDoc2b]

How about studying harder???????

 

[ItsGavinC]

Are prosthodontics programs really that easy to get into?

In general, yes, they are. Sought-after programs would be more difficult to enter than others, but overall they aren't high on the difficulty scale.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Which reminds me, I'm glad to see our UNC peeps are back with us--long time no post from you guys.

 

[grtuck]

Which reminds me, I'm glad to see our UNC peeps are back with us--long time no post from you guys.

Glad to be back, I guess now that we are in finals week we need to take a break and see whats going on "in the world" between our study sessions.

(Only one more final left and it's party time for 2 weeks...) 🙂

 

[saraman]

If you don't have an "in" with someone somewhere, then your best bets are perio, pros, oral pathology and OEC ortho.

Hi,
Could you elaborate OEC ortho?
Does it mean get sponsored and work for years at a certain place for certain sallary?
thanks for the info

 

[jpollei]

Hi,
Could you elaborate OEC ortho?
Does it mean get sponsored and work for years at a certain place for certain sallary?
thanks for the info

Plenty of old posts... check out the following link (one of many, skip the the first 5-6 messages in the thread) on the topic:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=190826&page=1&pp=20

Now back to the original post - rrc has a great point. Getting in isn't the same as arriving where you want to be...in some ways it gets even more difficult from there.

 

[shopaholic]

Hi,
Could you elaborate OEC ortho?
Does it mean get sponsored and work for years at a certain place for certain sallary?
thanks for the info

You got it exactily. They pay for your schooling and give you a stipend at UNLV, Colorado or Jacksonville. That's 36 total spots. Then you work for them in one of their practices. You're the only dr in that practice. They give you a base plus if you're good, they'll give you some production. It's seven years in a place that you choose, but it has to be some place where they can make money...ie not los angeles or new york city etc. If you're willing to commit 7 years to corporate orthodontics, then it's not a bad way to specialize.