Does school name matter for specializing?

[cludestyle]

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I know the Ivies have a high specialty match rate. But what about non-Ivies? Does the dental school name even matter? If school attended does matter, then can I offset that with stellar stats?

(I am particularly interested in OMFS residencies.)

Thank you.

From a prospective dental student 😎

 

[Contach]

there were students from every dental school at omfs interviews.. didn't seem to matter.

but... good dental schools have good reputations because they prepare students well.. Besides the name, there could be some other advantages of going to good schools - like being prepared better in the basic sciences when you take the NBME? better administrative support? happier students?

I think going to a dental school that does curriculum with the medical students would help with the NBME tremendously... and it seems like that will soon be the main hurdle.

 

[MrWilson]

Yes. This was from a program director's mouth. Yes, you can go to a non-Ivy that is very reputable and highly respected. It's also dependent upon what particular specialty you're speaking of, as well.

 

[CMistry]

Yes it matters, but not as much as they (big name schools) make it seem. Definitely not worth taking extra debt for or living where you don't want to.

 

[Tufts R Us]

Are all the pass/fail schools pretty reputable ?

 

[gryffindor]

No.

 

[cludestyle]

Just as a preface, I am most interested in the 6-year OMFS residency.

Yes it matters, but not as much as they (big name schools) make it seem. Definitely not worth taking extra debt for or living where you don't want to.

How do you think schools like Case, Boston, or Pittsburgh fares against Harvard, Columbia, Penn? I know it's a pretty shallow way of looking at things, but I can't help notice Columbia students everywhere lol

Yes. This was from a program director's mouth. Yes, you can go to a non-Ivy that is very reputable and highly respected. It's also dependent upon what particular specialty you're speaking of, as well.

6- year OMFS is what I am primarily interested in. 1-year internship would also be nice to buff up my application, I guess.

there were students from every dental school at omfs interviews.. didn't seem to matter.

but... good dental schools have good reputations because they prepare students well.. Besides the name, there could be some other advantages of going to good schools - like being prepared better in the basic sciences when you take the NBME? better administrative support? happier students?

I think going to a dental school that does curriculum with the medical students would help with the NBME tremendously... and it seems like that will soon be the main hurdle.

Is it wholly possible to get 95+ on NBME by studying on your own?

 

[UncUndergrad1]

No, it doesnt. What matters is who are the faculty of the particular specialty at your dental school. If you go to a great dental school with a ****ty OMFS program, then it doesnt matter.

Certain OMFS programs also pull from certain schools.

But, all of this is pretty trivial in the grand scheme. Go to the CHEAPEST dental school you get into -- that's what matters. Then get to know your OMFS faculty well and early. And do well on your exams, whatever they may be. Then get out there and do externships and kick ass at them, and let those speak for you. Apply where you externed, and if you have good stats, youll match somewhere.

-An OMFS resident

 

[UncUndergrad1]

and Ivy league dental schools are just an absurd waste of money

 

[wtang567]

Just as a preface, I am most interested in the 6-year OMFS residency.



How do you think schools like Case, Boston, or Pittsburgh fares against Harvard, Columbia, Penn? I know it's a pretty shallow way of looking at things, but I can't help notice Columbia students everywhere lol



6- year OMFS is what I am primarily interested in. 1-year internship would also be nice to buff up my application, I guess.



Is it wholly possible to get 95+ on NBME by studying on your own?

how are you 100% certain on doing OMFS when you are not even in school yet? If you go to an Ivy and you decide not to do OMFS, you would have made a huge waste of money.

I'm sure having the name could help a little, but you still have to do well on NBME

 

[cludestyle]

No, it doesnt. What matters is who are the faculty of the particular specialty at your dental school. If you go to a great dental school with a ****ty OMFS program, then it doesnt matter.

Certain OMFS programs also pull from certain schools.

But, all of this is pretty trivial in the grand scheme. Go to the CHEAPEST dental school you get into -- that's what matters. Then get to know your OMFS faculty well and early. And do well on your exams, whatever they may be. Then get out there and do externships and kick ass at them, and let those speak for you. Apply where you externed, and if you have good stats, youll match somewhere.

-An OMFS resident

Thank you for the insight. I do realize that my personal stats, activities, and connections are most important, but I just can't help but notice that a lot of past alums from select residency programs are graduates of Ivy dental schools.

how are you 100% certain on doing OMFS when you are not even in school yet? If you go to an Ivy and you decide not to do OMFS, you would have made a huge waste of money.

I'm sure having the name could help a little, but you still have to do well on NBME

I'm not 100% certain. Never said so, but I'm highly interested in it. I believe that it's never too early to plan for something that I will do for the rest of my life.

 

[Contach]

Is it wholly possible to get 95+ on NBME by studying on your own?

This is a stupid question. How should I know the answer to this?

 

[Contach]

and Ivy league dental schools are just an absurd waste of money

Said by someone who didn't go to an Ivy league dental school. This individual is probably the best authority on the matter.

 

[Contach]

No, it doesnt. What matters is who are the faculty of the particular specialty at your dental school. If you go to a great dental school with a ****ty OMFS program, then it doesnt matter.

I saw it work the other way too. I met someone on the interview trail who is from a program with a prestigious faculty well known in the OMFS community. He got letters of recommendations from other faculty in his department, but not this prestigious individual. He got railed at one of the interviews for not getting an LOR from this person... Its absurd.

I don't think it matters whether the OMFS program at your school has a good OMFS program or not. I think showing interest is more important.

Many OMFS programs are in such flux. Some have been good, but 1-2 big names leave and the program is in shambles. Where there are only 4 full-time faculty... this seems even more true.

 

[cludestyle]

This is a stupid question. How should I know the answer to this?

Sorry lol I didn't mean to come off so shallow, and definitely not directed just to you. I actually meant to ask whether medical-oriented curricula like Columbia and UConn have significant advantages over non-medical curricula, and whether I can make up for the difference by studying on my own. I have this preconception that once it gets to the professional school stage, there are some things that can't be book learned and that it will be tested on CBSE :S

 

[Koalafied]

I believe that it's never too early to plan for something that I will do for the rest of my life.

Of course.👍x5

I'm not 100% certain. Never said so, but I'm highly interested in it. I believe that it's never too early to plan for something that I will do for the rest of my life.

So how highly interested are you, OP?

 

[nanilla]

Go to the cheapest school, unless it is a school with a combined medical curriculum, it will help a lot and save you tons of time in studying. Not that it can't be be done without medical curriculum it will just be more on you. 95 is something like >260 usmle score, which is a crazy score for a medical student and not all necessary.

 

[capnamerica]

Many OMFS programs are in such flux. Some have been good, but 1-2 big names leave and the program is in shambles. Where there are only 4 full-time faculty... this seems even more true.

Speaking of, anyone know how the UCSF program fared after Schmidt left?

 

[capnamerica]

Go to the cheapest school, unless it is a school with a combined medical curriculum, it will help a lot and save you tons of time in studying. Not that it can't be be done without medical curriculum it will just be more on you. 95 is something like >260 usmle score, which is a crazy score for a medical student and not all necessary.

Have any of your peers also shared this sentiment with you after writing the NBME?

 

[nanilla]

Have any of your peers also shared this sentiment with you after writing the NBME?

Absolutely, can totally be done on your own, but most everyone agrees that a medical curriculum that teaches all the material on the CBSE as well as test in a similar format (more cased based) would better prepare you for the exam.

 

[KillaCam]

word.

 

[UncUndergrad1]

Said by someone who didn't go to an Ivy league dental school. This individual is probably the best authority on the matter.

Exactly. Got accepted to some, sent some emails out to various OMS program directors asking which of the schools would best prepare me for a career in OMS, and every single one that responded told me to go to the most financially viable. Went to a state school, easily broke 90 on boards, got 3 months of externing in, got near universal interview invites, matched. Left with less than 150k in debt, which was tuition and living expenses.

More telling was the plethora of Ivy League residents Ive met and worked with in dental school and after. Nearly all of them has legitimate stress issues over their debt, and several and said bluntly to pre-doc the same advice I just wrote on here:Go to the cheapest good dental school you get into. Plenty of state schools fit that requirement.

If you specialize, or if you go into gen dent, no one gives a damn where you went to dental school once you're there. I couldn't even name where all my co resident's went.

If you went to an Ivy d-school and love it, more power to you, and I'm happy for you. But it's still not sound advice. The education isn't superior, the name doesn't carry weight in dentistry, and the tuition is staggering.

edit: there are private schools worth looking at, and I'm not saying not to apply to Ivys. I certainly wish I had known about Pacific's 3 year deal, as even at the cost, an additional year of revenue easily makes up for it.
There's also other factors, if you've got money or someone is helping you pay and/or you want to live in NYC or Boston, then sure, I get it.