Getting into Oral Surgery without doing an externship

[the mesiodens]

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Hi guys, I just graduated from dental school and will start a very good AEGD program here in 2 weeks. I have an interest in oral surgery and am considering applying. I have not done any externships in oral surgery, I tried but was too late. I am wondering if programs would even look at me without completing an externship. I graduated 3rd in my class of over 90, part 1 boards was 95 and part 2 boards was 96.

 

[OMFSWizKid]

Hi guys, I just graduated from dental school and will start a very good AEGD program here in 2 weeks. I have an interest in oral surgery and am considering applying. I have not done any externships in oral surgery, I tried but was too late. I am wondering if programs would even look at me without completing an externship. I graduated 3rd in my class of over 90, part 1 boards was 95 and part 2 boards was 96.

With those numbers, you'll get in somewhere. I haven't heard anyone with your stats not get in because they didn't do externships.

 

[armorshell]

My question is, how do you even know you want to do oral surgery if you haven't done an externship?

To wizkid: You know people who have gotten into OMS without an externship?

 

[Michael Scarn]

I know someone with those same stats that did several externships that didn't get in. Numbers are definitely not everything.

 

[Regmata]

Can you take a weeks vacation and do an externship? Some are M-F, still leaving you a weekend.

 

[servitup]

Talk to your aegd program director and ask for some time to do externships. They should support that.

 

[OMFSWizKid]

My question is, how do you even know you want to do oral surgery if you haven't done an externship?

To wizkid: You know people who have gotten into OMS without an externship?

Yes. I know people who got in from doing only 1 externship. I also know people that got in with no externships and did an internship, GPR, or just volunteering in their dental school's Oral Surgery Department. And I know people who did NOT get in that did multiple externships. I'm not going to mention which programs the successful ones got in to because I don't have their consent.

I do would like to point out that there are over 100 programs out there and what you read on SDN represents only a fraction of these programs.

Also, you don't know if you love oral surgery until you've experienced the training. Everyone on interviews says they love oral surgery but yet, over 90% that finish training end up doing dentoalveolar. Chairmen, directors, and residents are aware of this. So do you think you're being selected because you said you love oral surgery?

 

[GTFOOMICT]

I bet you could get in somewhere without an externship. Actually quite confident you could with good stats. But with 1 extra step, you'll get to go where YOU want to go.

Start working over the AEGD faculty and get yourself a week off. When does the AEGD start? Summer still has time left.

Wouldn't you rather have a 'complete' application so you can chose your residency based upon training, location, cost of living, stipend, 4 vs 6, or whatever points are important to you?

 

[Phidippides]

Hi guys, I just graduated from dental school and will start a very good AEGD program here in 2 weeks. I have an interest in oral surgery and am considering applying. I have not done any externships in oral surgery, I tried but was too late. I am wondering if programs would even look at me without completing an externship. I graduated 3rd in my class of over 90, part 1 boards was 95 and part 2 boards was 96.

As I understand it, program directors want someone who is capable of caring for complex surgical patients as well as capable of going through the rigors of an OMS residency. The numbers you have are awesome and prove that you are able to do the former. As far as the latter goes, you can only prove this by partaking. This is most easily and ideally demonstrated via externships, internships, etc.

People out there may know of applicants that have matched or post-matched to programs without having done an OMS externship or internship. Whether they do know someone, or not, is a moot point. I would venture to say that applicants being accepted without OMS externships is not the norm, but extremely rare, and even more so at the more competitive programs.

If I were in your position I would aggressively try to get time off to extern here or there before you interview that way I can have the so called "complete" application and then be in a strong position to secure myself the ability to choose any program I wanted.

Fantastic work so far with your high rank in DS, board scores and recent graduation!

 

[Mackchops]

Does your AEGD require you to take call? Is there an OS dept where you are? Try to piggyback some on-call time with them -- not a bona fide "externship" but still helps satisfy the requirement of knowing what you're getting into.

 

[sed8nyank4u]

I am in the same boat, no externships. I didn't complete any while in school as I thought I would stay in General dentistry forever. Now, after three years, I am looking to specialize in OMS.

I contacted a few programs and apparently externships are exclusively available to current dental students.

 

[Prodentyte]

I also know of a person that did no externships and got in the first time applying.

 

[setdoc7]

I know lots of people who matched at the program of their choice with similar stats right out of school. A lot of SDN is urban legend with little basis in first hand knowledge about lots of programs. Your numbers put you in the top 5 percent of applicants in the country.
Although a full year internship may put you a leg up with call and running the clinic, it will help little if you select a 6 year program and have to start med school first.
Most interns I have met do the year to bolster an otherwise mediocre application (low grades/boards/both).
We get externs through our hospital. So far no outstanding extern with low grades has beat out an applicant with outstanding credentials.
With your stats, and a commitment to an aged for a year, I would try to spend some time with the oms service at your facility. I would also not discount ortho and pedo, as you still have an opportunity to explore a little, and unlike so many others, you are in the race for all of these.