*Endo Interview Feedback 2007*

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ElDienteLoco

ElDienteLoco

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I think this will be a valuable resource for those who plan to apply to programs next year and for those who may have a later interview and have to make one of those "bird in hand is worth two in the bush" decisions.

Please type the school's name in the title so that the thread is easier to navigate.

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UMKC was great. Everyone there seemed to really enjoy being there. I felt like Dr. Kulild takes care of people - I mean he called us all personally, and is going to call everyone who interviewed personally to let us know yea or nay. Great facilities (new in ~2004). Nice Stipend (~30k after tuition and fees). I'd accept if given the opportunity, but I think that window has probably passed.

UMKC likes post-grad experience, but don't be scared away. One of the first year residents is straight out of d-school and there were at least 4 of 12 of us in the interview who were still D4s.
 
EDL, thanx for putting up this thread. I hope you are claiming airmiles..lol. Did you find that Dr. Kulild had more emphasis on the research side of his program?
 
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I thought the research emphasis was light. It seemed like his emphasis is on clinical skills and lit review. There isn't a dedicated lab for endo research, but there is a very strong oral biology lab doing bone research down the hall. That seemed like the likely setting for any endo research, but really it didn't seem nearly as demanding in research as other places - no research slaves to big names there!
 
UCSF has been around for 5 years. Because of that, they're still in a transition phase... meaning they're still trying to tweak and test, but the important things are there. The facility is fair. They have dedicated chairs for endo, scopes in each op, endo carts. They do have to share 1 xray unit, which is a bit of a hassle, and they are not digital nor paperless, but working on it. The endo residents quite enjoy being there, working with each other, and working with faculty. They are on call for emergencies on a rotating basis, but they say it is not bad at all. I liked the attitude of the faculty. They seem pretty easy going, and emphasize that the residents are allowed to do whatever they want as long as they can back it up with research. The city itself is great, except for cost of living. They offer a stipend as well. I get the feeling they're looking for academians more so than clinicians. 2 of 6 current residents have PhDs.
 
The interview process was different than I had imagined, never having gone to one before. There were only 3 of us. The whole process was very informal. First we were given a tour of the facility. Then 1 was sent to a room to be interviewed by the program director while the other 2 hung out and observed the residents/talked to covering faculty. The program director didn't ask too many questions, more just talked about the benefits of the program. The only real question he asked was "why endo". I think he was just trying to see whether he thought you could fit in and what your interest level was, rather than trying to pick your brain and get you to spill your guts. After that, we had 3 other informal sessions with other faculty members where again, they ask a little about background info, why endo, but that was it. Then we went to lunch with the residents and asked as many questions as we wanted. After lunch, we had what I consider the first "serious" interview, only in the sense that the faculty member asked the questions that I thought were going to be asked. "Do you have a research project in mind?" "What is it about endo you like?" "Do you see any problems with UCSF and endodontics in particular?" He asked a lot of questions about the state of affairs at UNLV, which is where I teach. I'm not sure if it was curiosity about the program, or if I was supposed to indirectly reveal something about myself. After that, we were allowed to hang around and ask as many questions as we wanted to and then leave. Hope this helps... but not too much. I wanna get in first! LOL!
 
I thought that Nebraska was a good program. It seems clinically based and full of very nice people. Dr Gound is super-nice, but is trying to step down as the director, so some changes will probably be expected in the next few years. The facilities are relatively old, but have everything you need. They are in the middle of a renovation, so by the time residents start there in 2010, there should be a beautiful new finish on the endo clinic. Research is not strongly emphasized at this program, but you can research away to your heart's content (and get a 2 year M.S.). This seemed to be a hands-off non-dogmatic program. If you're not comfortable accessing a #15 on your own, then no one is really going to want to hold your hand through it. Lots of autonomy and really laid back good people.There were only a couple of us D4s there, but we were definitely considered although straight out of school. Lincoln seems to be a pretty nice place to live, although it is definitely not the big city for any of you city folks out there. $$$ seemed to be a wash (Stipend - Tuition), but a conscientious moonlighter would be allowed at this program to supplement your finances.

Overall, good program where I would have probably said "yes" if given the chance.
 
I was very impressed with Iowa! Great school, excellent research facilities and equipment, quality people. They have 5 full-time endo faculty supervising, and this seemed to be their strong point. Strong emphasis on research: there are ongoing collaborations among the different specialties in Dentistry, but if you need feedback from Engineering, Medicine, or other Sciences for your project, data collection/interp, equipment set-up, it's there for you to take advantage of!

Everyone is required to produce solid, publishable research, regardless of one being in the 2 yr certificate program, 3 yr cert+MS, or even 5 yr cert+PhD program. Time is allotted during the week just for lab work, but you may need to invest time of your own to get things done (but this is everywhere you go!). Tuition is about 20,000/yr or a bit more if you're in the MS or PhD program. There is an on-call schedule for the year, but you are also required to pick up some emergency during the week.

I interviewed with 3 other people, but I believe they interviewed a total of 11 people over 3 days for 3 spots. About the city (and these were only my impressions from a brief visit): clean, green, hospitable, can get pretty cold and windy in the winter, the residents said that rent is affordable and not very expensive to live there, Iowa city is a smaller city and, I was told, low in crime and safe.

The residents all seem to get along very well: it is a very lively and dynamic group. They seem very happy and enthusiastic to be there.

Definitely a highly competitive, quality school where you will get excellent education. To be seriously considered if offered a position. Hope this helps!
 
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Came back from USC. Set in a major metropolitan city, USC has all the advantages of a diverse city population. According to one resident, the emphasis is on clinical training. While research is required, it is not as heavily emphasized as other schools. This, he believes, is good for those who want to be practicing endodontists. There are 10 residents per class. The larger class size is a benefit since you'll learn as much from your fellow residents as faculty. They have 4 full-time faculty with plans to add 1 more, and 24 part-time residents. Cost for two years + scope is estimated to be $120k, plus misc expenses. Apparently, most residents don't live near campus due to crowdedness, crime, and cost of living. Graduate housing is available, but pretty much impossible to get. The resident I talked to really liked his program and felt like USC is a great, relaxed place to go.
 
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Interviewed at the VA Long Beach. Wonderful place. It's quite different than the other programs I've gone to. Since it's hospital-based, the patients are older --- more calcified canals, re-treats, and medical issues. So the residents feel they will probably be better able to handle what a private practice endodontist handles on a daily basis. Since it is not school affiliated, they do not have too many formal classes, but rely on seminars and group reviews. It seems like you've really got to have initiative to make the program work for your benefit. Facilities are excellent, as is the equipment. The residents were friendly, happy, and more than willing to help each other. There is no on-call. Work is M-F 7:30-4. You do have to do a research project, but it doesn't seem to be as demanding as at other schools. Since they are not school afiliated, there is also less support for doing research projects, at least facility-wise. I think I've portrayed the program accurately, but anyone can feel free to correct what's wrong. All-in-all, a great program, and definitely one I'd be more than happy to go to.
 
Saint Louis University is an excellent program. Both current residents and past residents feel that SLU's strongest point is the excellent clinical preparation. While the average number of cases at most schools seems to be about 250, SLU averages 350, and one person completed ~450. All the while the program also emphasizes completion of a master's program to better understand the research process. The program director is wonderful in clinical ability and leadership. The residents are extremely happy and friendly. Saint Louis is a city of over 1 million people, but doesn't feel like a big city in terms of traffic and crowds. Part of the program occurs at Souther Illinois University, which is dramatically different from SLU. SIU is on a campus that looks rustic, like something from the early century. The contrast is refreshing. It also allows those who prefer to live in suburbs to live there. I would highly recommend this program.
 
hi endo girl
i was wondering about the scores in the dental boards you think are ok. to be considered for the interviews. i have 84 and 81 and only 1 school invited me to the interview. at the same time, what are the things sthat the endo programs look for in prospective applicants?
 
Hi Diente Loco.
Whrere Are U From? I Supposed You Speak Spanish? Me Too.
Anyways, I Have Aquestion.
I Applied To Endo This Year, But No Luck.
I Want To Apply Next Year, I Would Appreciate If You Can Give Me An Idea Of The Diferents Things The Endo Programs Look For?
For Exam[ple, How Much Is A Competitive Score In The Dental Boards, Experience, Research, Gpa?
I Know You Were Called In 9 Schools, It Means You Are Good. Again Congrats.

See You And Googd Luck
 
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This is a 26 month program with Masters degree required. Pros: It seems to be a very intense program with a lot of support from the faculty. The residents seemed very happy and the facilities were more than adequate. Great research facilities. Cons: lots of night classes (for the MS), very intense (if that's a con for you), only 22 days off for 26 months (plus 6 federal holidays).
 
This was a nice program. They take one international resident and two domestics. The facilities are adequate, they use mostly phosphor plates for their radiography. Very nice faculty and low cost of living. Less intense as far as literature and research, although the residents said they are trying to change it so its a lot more involved in these areas. Seems like a good place for a resident with a family.
 
Great program, top 5 in the country for sure. Heavy hitters in research (Hargreaves) and excellent clinical training as well. Residents love it there, and it is a great city to live in. They like post-grad experience, but will make exceptions for exceptional students (not me though;)). Great program. You will know your stuff if you go here.
 
I got the same feeling here I did in Minnesota. Very intense program, but the residents are happy. Nice facilities and equipment. They interview everyone the same day, so its a long day, but I would recommend it if you're thinking about it. It is 27 months, but a MS is another 9 months.
 
Who didn't interview here? Good program, in the heart of Boston with all that entails. Larger program with 6 residents/year. cons: Purchase their own equipment, play musical chairs with operatories, $$tuition, light to no didactics(pro for some I guess). pros: program director and faculty great, good vibe from residents, good moonlighting experience, live in beantown. They interview a few too many in my opinion, 10ish/seat. Overall great program in my book.
 
A sleeper program in the south. 3 seats with roughly 5interviews/seat. Great faculty, director is top notch/very dedicated. Facilities are completely outdated in many ways. Residents are great, all from the area for the most part, Louisville fraternity feel was definitely there. Huge amount of clinical experience, (very easily see 500 cases in 2yrs) Light on surgery, research is encouraged, Tuition with no stipend but Louisville seems like a great town. Prefer applicants with experience. Overall solid program in my opinion, just be from/ have lived in or be related in the first degree to anyone or any dental school/AEGD/GPR in the area.
 
ElDienteLoco said:
I thought that Nebraska was a good program. It seems clinically based and full of very nice people. Dr Gound is super-nice, but is trying to step down as the director, so some changes will probably be expected in the next few years. The facilities are relatively old, but have everything you need. They are in the middle of a renovation, so by the time residents start there in 2010, there should be a beautiful new finish on the endo clinic. Research is not strongly emphasized at this program, but you can research away to your heart's content (and get a 2 year M.S.). This seemed to be a hands-off non-dogmatic program. If you're not comfortable accessing a #15 on your own, then no one is really going to want to hold your hand through it. Lots of autonomy and really laid back good people.There were only a couple of us D4s there, but we were definitely considered although straight out of school. Lincoln seems to be a pretty nice place to live, although it is definitely not the big city for any of you city folks out there. $$$ seemed to be a wash (Stipend - Tuition), but a conscientious moonlighter would be allowed at this program to supplement your finances.

Overall, good program where I would have probably said "yes" if given the chance.
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This program is very weak by most standards, facility is in need of some love as stated, residents and faculty said hopefully you can complete 150 cases by graduation!? (are you kidding me? what do these guys do for 2 years?) Moonlighting is pretty much discouraged, although like EDL said, you can try and find some if you're lucky. No faculty involvement. This is the type of progam where you'll find the guys who want to get their certificate and get the freak out of there as fast as possible which is perfect for those guys who have already done a few 100 RCT cases, for anyone else looking for a more solid experience (even without the research push) look elsewhere.
 
endoking said:
This was a nice program. They take one international resident and two domestics. The facilities are adequate, they use mostly phosphor plates for their radiography. Very nice faculty and low cost of living. Less intense as far as literature and research, although the residents said they are trying to change it so its a lot more involved in these areas. Seems like a good place for a resident with a family.
Click to expand...

Reminds me in many ways of Nebraska, facilities are bit better, Buffalo is a funner town if you can believe it. The program director was great, very sharp guy who is involved there. In my experience the other faculty were a bit less impressive, the interview was very disorganized, no one knew anyone was coming, there was only 1 other full-time faculty there and they didn't have any time to talk to applicants. Very light on research and lit,(good thing?) although changing as stated, great residency for families I agree, MOONLIGHTING is impossible in the state of NY now unless you did GPR or some other way of getting licensed since change in licensure requirements. experience was looked upon much more favorably.
 
Probably one of the top programs in the country, I didn't get in there so I'm not biased or anything. But just being there on interview was enough to impress me. 5 full time faculty, pretty much unrivaled anywhere else. Huge surgical experience 30-50cases. 400+ cases is average for leaving residents. Research is becoming a bigger push. Tuition is pricey in first year for out of staters. piddly stipend. Buy your own equipment. Facilities are some of the best in the nation (not AE but great none the less). This program is ridiculously competitive, they have one of the only endodontic fellowships in the country and it seemed to be housed with all the failed applicants (no offense to them, there were all great guys) from the previous year hoping to find a seat there this time around. There is also a year oralfacial pain fellowship that some whisper can lock you a seat for the endo residency. 4-5 seats on a rotating cycle, with roughly 20-30interviews. Great program, would have really struggled in finding a reason to say no even after I got in at my top choice.
 
Not a very talked about residency. 2-3residents/yr in 3yr program. Everyone does Masters because it drops your tuition to essentially zero while you still get paid a stipend that is nothing to laugh at. Director is amazing, faculty likewise superb. facility is above average with your own ops, digital, etc.. Good surgical experience if you're looking for it 20-40cases. residents easily do 400+ cases(but it is 3yrs). you'll do some research with the masters. Farmington is a great community. Residents had a good vibe. Overall strong program. Obviously the big con is 3yrs. Interviews for this program are somewhat mysterious (like at Pitt), only 1 at a time, interview roughly 10 for the spots.
 
I enjoyed interviewing in Milwaukee. Dr. Bahcall was very personable and I felt like he is a strong program director. There was a tour and dinner with the residents on the night before the interview. It is very important to make it to the dinner because I felt like all the residents had serious input as to whether or not you were accepted. This didn't work out well for me because I was unable to make it to the dinner and I got the feeling that the residents didn't like me because of that (and because they had been reading my posts on SDN and didn't like something about what I had been saying - they never discussed this directly with me, but other interviewees told me that my SDN posts and absence from the dinner had been a topic of conversation). Overall, I didn't know much about Marquette before my interview, but the facilities were very nice. The faculty seemed a bit above average. Lots of moonlighting (residents claim ~8-10k/month) if that's your cup of tea. This was a strong program and I would have accepted if offered.
 
Holy cow this is a big program! There are 28 residents at a time here. It was weird for me to hear that you may not even really get to know all of your co-residents. 4 M.S. residents only do research for their first year (M.S. Science or M.S. Biomaterials) with no patient care. A 1st year and 2nd year student both share an operatory during clinical years which means a relatively light 2nd year (frequently done in the early afternoon - and off to moonlight). As a downside you have to breakdown and lock up everything in your op every day (scope, handpiece, system B, etc). I think that would get really old, but it's not necessarily a big deal - you will still see plenty of cases. Dr. Hutter was very nice and he was pleasantly open with me. The residents seem to like it here and they claim to make up for the expensive tuition with copious moonlighting.
 
My interview with Dr. Fouad is what sealed the deal for me at this program. He is excellent and I felt quite comfortable talking to him. This program has changed extensively in the last few years. It used to be a hard-core clinical program, but is now becoming a bit more well-rounded. It is 3 years whether you get an M.S. or not and It looks like I will qualify for in-state tuition after my first year (~34k 1st year, ~18k 2nd, 3rd years). The facilities in the new dental school are amazing (even better than Arizona's pre-doc facilities). There were a few interviews with individual faculty members and lunch. This program is a perfect fit for me because I would like to teach someday and I think this program will prepare me very well academically (Dr. Fouad is the current president (chair, whatever the title is) of the ABE) as well as a strong clinical background.

I would recommend taking a taxi from the airport (BWI) and finding someone to split a cab fare back to the airport. Southwest has affordable flights to here as well.

If you have any other questions about Maryland Endo PM me because I'll be there next year.
 
Ever since my externship here I have liked this program. 3 residents per year (6 total) 2 year certificate with the option for an M.S. in ~3 yrs. The strength of this program is definitely faculty not to mention the fact that San Antonio is a cool and cheap place to live. Great opportunity for research (Hargreaves, Henry, etc.) As others have said, the operatories aren't new but they have everything you need (scopes, digital radiographs, Instrumentation, Obt.) I don't think I realized before my interview how much stuff the residents have to buy (files, etc) and I think that you will easily spend 12-20k on supplies and equipment (not counting scope). There are a couple of individual interviews with Dr. Kaiser, Dr. Hargreaves, Dr. Henry, Dr. Schindler. The interviews were not too stressful, but these folks definitely know their stuff. This program is a very strong clinical program that does research but they focus on training clinicians at UTHSCSA (that being said, there is a history of endo residents staying on as researchers). Interview with lunch on one day, then all-day Saturday CE followed by a dinner with the residents. I would highly recommend making plans for the whole shebang.

Did I mention that this program is a great deal? I think you get a stipend of $6,000 per year with only minimal fees, etc and you can moonlight a little 2nd year as well as a VA stipend for your rotations there.

Great people. I would highly recommend this program to anyone.
 
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UTHSC Houston

I don't remember as much as I would like to, but I'll write what I can remember. I'll be a resident here next year, so if anyone has any questions you can always look me up and email me. The interview itself starts at 7:30 for an informal meet and greet/continental breakfast. There were 11 applicants all on 1 day. From 8-9 is a short presentation about Houston, the school, the medical campus, faculty, etc. From 9-12 the group split up. Each applicant had a 15 minute interview with 4 individual faculty members. Those that weren't interviewing were touring the facility and speaking with residents and faculty covering the floor. From 12-1 is lunch, provided by the school. Feel free to ask residents any and all questions. From 1 to whenever, Dr. Ludington fields questions that you may want to ask. Our Q&A session lasted about 30min-1hr.

For an evaluation of the program...

The core of the faculty has been at the school for many years so it's a pretty stable group. They're adding a couple of PhDs, for a total of 4 full-time faculty. They have part-time faculty as well. Not nearly the same number as other schools though. The facilities are fair. The ops are a bit cramped, but they have everything you need... scopes, obturation, etc. They're planning on moving to a new facility in 2010. One of the big draws here is research. They've got a doc who's extremely accomplished who set up an extensive lab. Tuition is pretty good. In-state tuition and expenses comes out to about $30k, out-of-state is $50k. It's a 3 yr program with M.S. Houston is fairly cheap to live in... at least compared to Las Vegas, where I live now. Housing is about half the price! The only thing I don't like is the heat and humidity... Houston is the most humid city in the U.S.!
 
What EDL said. Great program, great director, happy residents, tremendous opportunity. No moonlighting, but with the stipend/commission deal, who would need to. The residents definitely worked hard, but were not worn out. Case requirements are 200 nsrct, but only after Dr. Kulild approves your clinical abilities. Two interviews and a full day at the program. A must see for next year applicants.
 
A very strong hospital based program. Clinically very strong, and Dr. Barnett is a wonderful director. His knowledge of the literature is legendary, so board preparation starts at day one. Obviously the stipend helps, but even without it, it's a great program. First year didactics at Penn, along iwth 10-15K in tuition. Happy residents, but definitely seemed to be working harder here than at a lot of other places. Four separate interviews, one on one. New clinic under construction, scopes, video feeds, digital radiography, top of the line all the way.
 
A very large program. Not as many as BU, but almost. Eight residents per class and four one year international endodontic fellows. So twenty residents at any given time. A very brief and informal interview, albeit quite pleasant with Dr. Rosenberg. This interview/visit wasn't nearly as structured or as lengthy as Einstein or UMKC. Talking to the residents was a mixed bag. Some had a lot to say, most not so much. Moonlighting is pretty much standard fare, hand filing and cold lateral condensation for the first few months of the program. Heavy biological emphasis, as opposed to what I was expecting, a more clinical program. Not much discussion of research. Case requirements around 200 cases. One x-ray tube, not yet on digital radiograghy as far as I could tell. Seemed like 5 or 6 scopes for the residents. Not bad, but very large.
 
Another hospital based program. Very heavy clinical component. 250 cases required, but not a problem. A new program(started in 2005), so the program is still taking shape. Interviewed with Dr. Goldberger(director), Dr. Kunin(full time attending) and the chief resident. Three scopes, one for every two residents. Digital radiography is going in before the end of the year. With the enthusiasm of the leadership and their commitment, I think this program is going to be a really good one. Four day work week M-Thurs, although they are long days, especially with night clinic until 8pm. Moonlighting isn't a problem, or you can enjoy three day weekends for two years. Tuition is deducted from the stipend, but you still end up with a good size stipend, and no additional student loans. Lutheran has an extensive teleconferencing lecture series between all of their residency sites, and some of the didactics comes from that. Huge GPR program that feeds the program and outside referrals as well. Very cool residents, although they are working hard for sure. If you like cities and want a ton of clinical experience, this program is one to keep in mind.
 
If you get a chance, visit HERE. Dr. Jeansonne is great. Just great. Dr. Speier and Dr. Lynn were also very accomodating. Three individual interviews, one small group interview with the residents. Some other fun stuff, but I'll let you discover that when you visit. Very cool residents, nice feeling standing around when the attendings are ripping on one of the residents pink shirts. They definitely have fun. Clinic is all hooked up, AES carts, Digital, scopes and x rays at every chair, new surgical suite being constructed. Clinical requirements are 300 nsrct, and 25+ surg. Heavy didactic in first year, but I think this program would prepare you very well for your career.The building is still having some work done(thanks to Katrina), but it is in fine working order and the clinics appear fully untouched. New Orleans is a great city, super diverse, and the patient population show it. Moonlighting is frowned upon, mainly during first year, because of the volume of information you have to learn. Lots of literature review, independent research project is very important, and Dr. J stressed that she wants you to learn something from it. I really thought a lot of her and her program. It is a gem for sure and so is she.
 
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