Being Competitive for Ortho

[Libra_DDS]

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Im a 3rd year dental student interested in ortho. I have a so-so GPA (3.5) and decent board scores (average 96) and USC doesn't rank their students. I'm doing a little bit of research but it is going pretty slow for the most part. My question is: How can I become a more competitive applicant for ortho programs? I was thinking about doing externships and I'm also involved in a lot of extracurriculars (i.e. student government, etc.) Can someone please help me?

 

[mike3kgt]

Im a 3rd year dental student interested in ortho. I have a so-so GPA (3.5) and decent board scores (average 96) and USC doesn't rank their students. I'm doing a little bit of research but it is going pretty slow for the most part. My question is: How can I become a more competitive applicant for ortho programs? I was thinking about doing externships and I'm also involved in a lot of extracurriculars (i.e. student government, etc.) Can someone please help me?

I think you need to bring up that part I score. Seriously, it sucks. 🙂

Don't become involved in student government unless you actually like doing it. If you are doing it to boost your resume, that's okay, as long as you enjoy it and give it 100%. I can sniff out the students who are resume seekers from a mile away (I am the SGA President at my school).

-Mike

 

[Jaybe]

Im a 3rd year dental student interested in ortho. I have a so-so GPA (3.5) and decent board scores (average 96) and USC doesn't rank their students. I'm doing a little bit of research but it is going pretty slow for the most part. My question is: How can I become a more competitive applicant for ortho programs? I was thinking about doing externships and I'm also involved in a lot of extracurriculars (i.e. student government, etc.) Can someone please help me?

I'd say your "decent" board score is in the top 3rd percentile if its anything like when I took boards. You should be fine if you are also into extracurriculars. Only a handful of applicants to each school will have scores that high. But don't be an **s when you go into interviews. Every place I interviewed would make some comment about my scores (which were quite high) and I think they were trying to see if I was arrogant.

So I would put on this big "humility" act and then rush back out into the hall where I could resume my arrogance.

 

[Jaybe]

o

 

[kato999]

I think you will end up fine. I had the same score as you and my school screwed up and reported my class rank to PASS as "no rank". My research was never published, but I still ended up getting 15 out 19 interviews. Just take it easy, be yourself and you will probably find a place. Good luck.

 

[Libra_DDS]

Kato, Thanks your post is very reassuring. Only 4 out of 9 senior students matched this year so I'm a little worried. I'm just trying to be the best candidate I possibly can. Do you think a month-long externship would help? Or should I focus primarily on getting my research done?

 

[gryffindor]

Are there programs that will let you hang around for 1 month? Gosh that would be 1 boring month, unless they put you to work pouring models and making retainers. 😉 Did anyone here think ortho externships helped them? IMO, they don't really make that much of a difference.

Your numbers sound good. It's probably not a bad idea to finish your research, you will likely get asked legit questions to intelligently discuss it on interviews. But are you special? Were you ever a competitive baton twirler? Did you play violin at Carnegie hall, multiple times? Do you passionately garden in your spare time? Did you build latrines in Africa? Seriously, what is it that makes you "special?" Those people who didn't match likely had good credentials and will make fine orthodontists, but they probably didn't match because it can be hard to stand out in an interview group of 20 people where everyone is academically qualified and on their best behavior.

 

[Libra_DDS]

Well, in all honesty, I made some extra money through college doing some modeling (nothing nude or anything like that) and photography. Modeling is not the most respectable extracurricular activity, but it makes me "special". I can tell them that I know all about aesthetics since I had to be constantly thinking about that stuff. IMO, putting that on my app can hurt me just as much as help me.

 

[gryffindor]

Well, in all honesty, I made some extra money through college doing some modeling (nothing nude or anything like that) and photography. Modeling is not the most respectable extracurricular activity, but it makes me "special". I can tell them that I know all about aesthetics since I had to be constantly thinking about that stuff. IMO, putting that on my app can hurt me just as much as help me.

LOL, you don't have to devote half of your resume to what makes you "special." A line titled "Hobbies and interests" can point out your talents. I was just pointing it out in regards to your comment that ony 4/9 matched from your school this year. The interview can matter as much as your resume.

 

[kato999]

Exactly what Griffin said. You want to be unique, but don't go overboard and come off as a weirdo. If you're a good looking woman and you said you did some nude modeling, it might help you. It would have at Arizona.😎

 

[taylort]

Hello folks,

Regarding letters of recommendation, is it a bad idea to have an ortho resident at your school write one? One of the residents at my school has been letting me assist in treatment planning his cases and offered to write a rec letter if I wanted (next year). I know that a rec letter from ortho faculty would pull more weight, but I really don't have any connections; and doing research for one of them is out of the question since I'm already heavily involved with research in another field.

Any thoughts/advice on this???

 

[Jaybe]

If I was a program director I would question why an applicant had to get one of their three letters of recommendation from an individual who was still a resident. I would strongly discourage you from doing that.

You want letters from individuals who are of high academic rank whenever possible (ie full Professors, Department Chairs, Program Directors). If you have impressed these type of faculty (regardless of their area of specialization) the Ortho Admission committee will accordingly be impressed.

Hello folks,

Regarding letters of recommendation, is it a bad idea to have an ortho resident at your school write one? One of the residents at my school has been letting me assist in treatment planning his cases and offered to write a rec letter if I wanted (next year). I know that a rec letter from ortho faculty would pull more weight, but I really don't have any connections; and doing research for one of them is out of the question since I'm already heavily involved with research in another field.

Any thoughts/advice on this???

 

[vorosvirag]

Hello folks,

Regarding letters of recommendation, is it a bad idea to have an ortho resident at your school write one? One of the residents at my school has been letting me assist in treatment planning his cases and offered to write a rec letter if I wanted (next year). I know that a rec letter from ortho faculty would pull more weight, but I really don't have any connections; and doing research for one of them is out of the question since I'm already heavily involved with research in another field.

Any thoughts/advice on this???

I understand it's difficult to establish connections. I had a difficult time hunting up one of my letters. However, having a resident write one is not a great idea. I'm surprised the resident even offered. I've not heard of that before.

I am a resident and would feel poorly qualified to write a letter for an ortho applicant. Directors know that some residents are great, but also realize many others never pan out as expected.

Your friend means well, I'm sure. However, most likely those reading his/her letter will wonder about his/her insufficient experience and perspective for such a task. In other words, he/she is too close to the process to provide perspective on another's attempt to get in. In my opinion, the letter would have questionable value.

 

[BlueToothHunter]

Hello folks,

Regarding letters of recommendation, is it a bad idea to have an ortho resident at your school write one? One of the residents at my school has been letting me assist in treatment planning his cases and offered to write a rec letter if I wanted (next year). I know that a rec letter from ortho faculty would pull more weight, but I really don't have any connections; and doing research for one of them is out of the question since I'm already heavily involved with research in another field.

Any thoughts/advice on this???

At best, this will bring a small smile to the program director's face and then he will just move put the letter down and move on to the next applicant's file.

At worst, people will start to think that you two are having an affair (ie. heavily involved) 😱

Don't go there!

 

[vorosvirag]

I got one of my letters from an orthodontist in the community I had shadowed for a while. Breaking into the ortho dept. circle at my home school was not a simple thing. I got one letter out of that department, but had to go elsewhere for the rest.

Good luck.

 

[cuneatus2]

Hello folks,

Regarding letters of recommendation, is it a bad idea to have an ortho resident at your school write one? One of the residents at my school has been letting me assist in treatment planning his cases and offered to write a rec letter if I wanted (next year). I know that a rec letter from ortho faculty would pull more weight, but I really don't have any connections; and doing research for one of them is out of the question since I'm already heavily involved with research in another field.

Any thoughts/advice on this???

It depends...what school are you at?

 

[WireBender2010]

Make sure that you hasten up your research a bit....and actually publish it. I am sure that it will make a difference.

WireBender2010

 

[Jaybe]

Make sure that you hasten up your research a bit....and actually publish it. I am sure that it will make a difference.

WireBender2010

Research is for nerds! Gaahhd!!!

Publish That!

 

[WireBender2010]

Hello Jaybe,
Hmmm how unfortunate that you think this way. However, you are entitled to your opinion.

WireBender2010

 

[Jaybe]

Hello Jaybe,
Hmmm how unfortunate that you think this way. However, you are entitled to your opinion.

WireBender2010

Well, its not really my opinion. The way I see it, we pretty much already know everything that science could discover. The rest is just icing on the cake!

Research has basically prooven that most research now days is just people braggin and makin stuff up.

 

[DirtyMolar]

Jaybe, you're kidding right? Please tell me you're just being facetious! How could one possible say that we pretty much know everything that science has to discover when there is so much we don't know? You're just silly Jaybe!