Dentist Anesthesiologist

[natroncb]

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Just wondering if any of you had any thoughts on my situation... i already have my DMD but would like to combine it with an MD and work in an academic setting to help interested dentists be able to provide care to MRDD and medically compromised patients.

1- I'm currently in a 3 year anesthesiology residency specifically with 2 spots for dentists (of course i'm one of the dentists 🙂 ). In the residency we train right along side CA-1 and CA-2 anesthesia residents after our 1 year internship. I will have experience in the full scope of anesthesiology (epidurals, peds, obgyn, regional, etc) and the ability to practice independantly (depending on state regulations and whether or not the surgery is related to the head and neck). I will have spent a few months as a resident rotating through SICU and IM.

2- My UG's are somewhat low... originally 3.0 overall and really no science gpa. Prior to dental school I went back and took the science courses and brought my science gpa to 3.6 and overall to around 3.3. At that time i also did research and got a few co-authorships... bla bla bla... yeah, i did "all the right things to get into dental school"

3- I'm sure i can find good LOR's and have plenty of EC's to put on my app.

4- I havn't taken the MCAT yet.

I'm 31... assuming i score ok on the MCAT do you think my professional/acedemic experience will help overcome sub par overall grades?

Thanks!

 

[natroncb]

bump

 

[natroncb]

bump a.g.ain...

 

[natroncb]

bump... one more try 🙂

 

[student1799]

I'm no authority on this stuff, but my gut tells me that your biggest challenge will be convincing med schools that you need an MD on top of your DMD. Wouldn't your dental anesthesia training be sufficient for treating developmentally disabled/medically compromised patients, and if not, why not?

It's a total coincidence, but I've had some contact with this specialty as a patient. When I was 14 I had a bad accident that knocked out my upper incisors. I was brought to the emergency department, and as luck would have it, there was an oral surgeon on duty that night who helped save my teeth. I needed extensive follow-up care, and got it at his clinic in the same hospital, which normally treated only MRDD patients. (Got some strange looks in the waiting room, but whatever.) The people who cared for me were wonderful, but they were all dentists and not doctors, as far as I can remember.

So, if you really want to do this kind of work, I'm not sure you need an MD. It's going to take you a bunch of additional years, cost a lot of money (don't you have mega-loans from dental school already?), and delay your ability to start practicing and earn a decent living. Is all that really worth it to you?

If, on the other hand, what you're really saying is that you want to be a doctor rather than a dentist, I'm not sure what to tell you. You're rather far along in your career to be having second thoughts, if indeed you are--and even if you aren't, prepare for a lot of skepticism from med schools. Then you have the GPA issues, having to study for the MCAT, etc. It seems like a huge amount of effort and grief for a very uncertain outcome.

Unless you can find some special joint MD-DMD program (do they exist?) which will give you credit for some of the work you've already done in dental school, I would really advise against this.

 

[demayette]

Just wondering if any of you had any thoughts on my situation... i already have my DMD but would like to combine it with an MD and work in an academic setting to help interested dentists be able to provide care to MRDD and medically compromised patients.

1- I'm currently in a 3 year anesthesiology residency specifically with 2 spots for dentists (of course i'm one of the dentists 🙂 ). In the residency we train right along side CA-1 and CA-2 anesthesia residents after our 1 year internship. I will have experience in the full scope of anesthesiology (epidurals, peds, obgyn, regional, etc) and the ability to practice independantly (depending on state regulations and whether or not the surgery is related to the head and neck). I will have spent a few months as a resident rotating through SICU and IM.

2- My UG's are somewhat low... originally 3.0 overall and really no science gpa. Prior to dental school I went back and took the science courses and brought my science gpa to 3.6 and overall to around 3.3. At that time i also did research and got a few co-authorships... bla bla bla... yeah, i did "all the right things to get into dental school"

3- I'm sure i can find good LOR's and have plenty of EC's to put on my app.

4- I havn't taken the MCAT yet.

I'm 31... assuming i score ok on the MCAT do you think my professional/acedemic experience will help overcome sub par overall grades?

Thanks!

After 4 year of dental school plus 3 year residency, you want to go to medical school for another 4 year and at least one year internship to get license as a GP. WOW....

 

[Salient]

Don't dental residencies cost money?

 

[natroncb]

Thanks for the perspective. 😉

I guess the reason for considering getting an MD on top of the DMD is simply because I don't feel like my medical background and knowledge is that of the MD's I work with. My ability to provide anesthesia on a technical level is not the issue. Also, not having my MD affects my ability to move up in a hospitals academic setting (because i'm always going to be 2nd tier to the MD's). Finances are not a problem... everything is paid off. I dont have a family or other responsibilities and money is not important to me as long as I can pay bills,etc. As far as explaining to the med school admission as to why i want to gain an MD my response would be "because there is a depth of knowledge that I lack by not having an MD that would be valuable to my ability to work affectively in a research and academic setting... I would also like to help physicians gain a better understanding of how to treat dental emergencies." Yes, I know i could do some of this without going to medical school... but having an MD would open many doors. This is not an ego thing... i really do want to help people and I really love medicine and learning.

Anyway, my gpa according to the dental application service was cGPA 3.34 and sGPA 3.65. I had a 3.8 in my final 56 credit hours (upward trend), which included most of my science courses... almost all A's in my pre-reqs. Dental school was pass/fail. Studying for the MCAT is going fine. Assuming i top 30 do you believe i'd have a competitive shot at gaining admissions to an MD program?

Again, thanks for the responses even if you think it's a waste of time.

oh, and I can treat MRDD patients... I would like to be involved in teaching other people to treat these patients under GA. And I feel like having an MD would be really valuable.

 

[natroncb]

oh, and SOME dental residencies cost money... ortho, prosth, perio...

Dental anesthesia pays a PGY-1,2 pay scale because they are covered under GME funding.

I guess I was also just wondering if I'd be competitive for MD admissions... assuming I have a good reason and money/time is not an issue to me. thanks again!

 

[GoodmanBrown]

oh, and SOME dental residencies cost money... ortho, prosth, perio...

Dental anesthesia pays a PGY-1,2 pay scale because they are covered under GME funding.

I guess I was also just wondering if I'd be competitive for MD admissions... assuming I have a good reason and money/time is not an issue to me. thanks again!

Your cGPA and sGPA are only so-so for medical school, I think. From this data from AAMC, you've got between a 40% and 60% chance of getting accepted if your MCAT is between a 30 and a 38. Now this doesn't really do too much as a general rule because if you start drooling during your interview, your chances plummet precipitously. And contrary, if you're a witty, engaging, attractive individual, your chances rise considerably.

Considering your story, I think you've got a strong shot getting in somewhere. I'd emphasize your interest in research & academia re: wanting to train people to work with MRDD GA situations. Emphasize any other MRDD activities/commitments you have and go for it.

 

[natroncb]

Thank you for the feedback GoodmanBrown and everyone else... I feel pretty good going in that things will work out as they should... even if that means no acceptances.

Cheers!

 

[student1799]

OP, I just saw a thread over in pre-allo entitled "Dentists who go back to med school," and it made me think of your situation. There isn't much going on over in that thread, but I did learn one very interesting fact: there ARE a few DDS/MD programs out there (6 years), but they are intended for oral/maxillofacial surgeons. These seem to be the only dentists who commonly get MD degrees.

Here is a link to NYU's DDS/MD program: http://www.nyu.edu/dental/bulletin/aepmaxillofacialsix.html Columbia has a similar program, but it only takes 2 students a year. I don't know what others are out there, but I'm sure there are a few.

You wouldn't be a typical applicant to this type of program because you've already finished dental school; I think the idea is that people apply while they're still in dental school, then go on to the last 2 years of med school and get their MD. Your dental residency complicates the picture.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

 

[demayette]

Thanks for the perspective. 😉

I guess the reason for considering getting an MD on top of the DMD is simply because I don't feel like my medical background and knowledge is that of the MD's I work with. My ability to provide anesthesia on a technical level is not the issue. Also, not having my MD affects my ability to move up in a hospitals academic setting (because i'm always going to be 2nd tier to the MD's). Finances are not a problem... everything is paid off. I dont have a family or other responsibilities and money is not important to me as long as I can pay bills,etc. As far as explaining to the med school admission as to why i want to gain an MD my response would be "because there is a depth of knowledge that I lack by not having an MD that would be valuable to my ability to work affectively in a research and academic setting... I would also like to help physicians gain a better understanding of how to treat dental emergencies." Yes, I know i could do some of this without going to medical school... but having an MD would open many doors. This is not an ego thing... i really do want to help people and I really love medicine and learning.

Anyway, my gpa according to the dental application service was cGPA 3.34 and sGPA 3.65. I had a 3.8 in my final 56 credit hours (upward trend), which included most of my science courses... almost all A's in my pre-reqs. Dental school was pass/fail. Studying for the MCAT is going fine. Assuming i top 30 do you believe i'd have a competitive shot at gaining admissions to an MD program?

Again, thanks for the responses even if you think it's a waste of time.

oh, and I can treat MRDD patients... I would like to be involved in teaching other people to treat these patients under GA. And I feel like having an MD would be really valuable.

Your stats are good for DO schools if you dont have a problem with the DO degree.