Generally speaking, I believe most endodontic programs prefer GP experience. Anyone know why?
A couple reasons. A bread and butter Endo is generally a 1st or 2nd molar, with extensive decay, and symptoms. Managing this type of case is not bread and butter for a student straight out of school. Evaluating/ diagnosing/ managing patient/ treating / and restoring is going to be a handful for the student. Sure they can do it, but it will take guidance, oversight, and time. The programs that want experience don’t want to have to help with your access, diagnosis, or your glide path. Sure they will discuss it in lit and lectures, but they don’t want to have to step in for that in clinic. They want to monitor surgeries, resorption cases, regenerations, etc. That calcified #15 with SIP/ SAP they expect you to take your CBCT, access, EDTA, and get down it. And this is all while using the microscope and only an assistant to access with.
Secondly, you are very busy outside of clinic. So you need to be able to knock your cases out during the day fairly efficiently so you can get to your lit review, presentations, research, etc.
Having said all that, it’s still just preference. Some programs could care less about that and don’t mind working side by side with students and helping them traverse that steep learning curve. They like molding the young students because they have no bad habits and aren’t stubborn. But the programs that want experience, just want students to come in and know how to access, instrument, and place gutta percha. They are more focused on fine tuning and broadening those skills. Just really a teaching preference.
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