How Much to Save for OMFS

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How much (on average) should someone save up before entering dental school. This money will be used strictly for things such as the CBSE, externships, application cycle, interviews, etc.

My guesstimates:

CBSE: $205/attempt
CBSE study material: $500 (FA, UWorld, Pathoma, self assessment, etc.).
Externship: $600/externship (food, housing, airfare, uber).
Interviews: $300/interview (food, housing, airfare, uber).
Application cost: $150/program (includes PASS fees, supplemental fees, postage, transcripts, and Match fee).

Are these fair numbers? Am I missing anything?
Also, please feel free to share any tips on how to potentially cut costs.

 

[The Anhedonia]

probably accurate numbers and good instinct to save as much as possible, but these are peanuts compared to the total cost of living + D school tuition
if the above #'s ~2k, then that's < 1% of your total dental school experience

 

[PhansterZ]

Things I would not be cheap with:
- the latest study materials... buy the latest first aid, subscribe to pathoma, get a 6 month subscription to uworld etc.
- get in as many externships as possible. Hard to find time for it so you’ll most likely do it during your breaks. Get at least 5 weeks, but the more the better.
- apply to as many programs as you can afford. Not matching means you’ll have to do a non-categorical internship year and then going thru the entire process again. It is around a 50% match rate for those who got interviews so it’s still competitive.
-go to as many interviews as possible. The more you go on, the more likely you will have 1 program to love you. You can get a bunch of programs to like you, but if none of them love you, you are more likely not to match.

Things to do to save money:
- externships at places where you can stay in the call rooms. Along with saving you tons of money, it is easier to take more call with the residents too.
- share hotel costs with those you interview with. You’ll find out that the same group of people interview together at many locations.

Fortunately, there are loans out there that allow you to borrow up to 20k for the interview season. Google “Residency and Relocation loans”. It was designed to help medical students, but dental students can take advantage of those too. Only use these after exhausting all resources.

 

[UncUndergrad1]

make friends on the interview trail and share rooms at each other's home programs (as in let them stay at your place, you stay at their place) and share hotels elsewhere. Get an airline CC, either SW or American, and use that for all your flights, ideally get 1-2 free flights

 

[omfsing]

It sucks having to go through this process, it is expensive. The best way to look at it is as the smartest investment you can make in your career. Some programs, like Cincinnati, also provide housing, have stocked food, and even a gym for the externs (at least from when I externed).

 

[ifitfitsyourmolars]

Things I would not be cheap with:

Things to do to save money:
- externships at places where you can stay in the call rooms. Along with saving you tons of money, it is easier to take more call with the residents too.

Is there a list of programs like this that allow you stay in the call room the whole time? Most programs show that students need to arrange their own housing/transportation. Thanks in advance!

 

[PhansterZ]

Is there a list of programs like this that allow you stay in the call room the whole time? Most programs show that students need to arrange their own housing/transportation. Thanks in advance!

I don't think there is a list. Just call the program coordinator of the program you're interested in and ask them if you can stay in their call rooms. They will give you a pretty concrete yes or no answer.
Places that I know that for sure provide rooms for externs include: LSU-Shreveport, LSU-New Orleans, Jacksonville, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.

 

[ifitfitsyourmolars]

I don't think there is a list. Just call the program coordinator of the program you're interested in and ask them if you can stay in their call rooms. They will give you a pretty concrete yes or no answer.
Places that I know that for sure provide rooms for externs include: LSU-Shreveport, LSU-New Orleans, Jacksonville, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.

Thank you! Definitely something super helpful when the time comes

 

[coffdrop]

Places that I know that for sure provide rooms for externs include: LSU-Shreveport, LSU-New Orleans, Jacksonville, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.

Carle, Case Western, and UAB all let me stay in their call rooms. And they were all very solid externships!

 

[ifitfitsyourmolars]

Carle, Case Western, and UAB all let me stay in their call rooms. And they were all very solid externships!

This is golden. Need a sticky or a spreadsheet with externships that let you stay in their call rooms!

 

[Localnative]

Is there a list of programs like this that allow you stay in the call room the whole time? Most programs show that students need to arrange their own housing/transportation. Thanks in advance!

MGH lets you sleep on Kaban's couch.
you can snuggle with his Maine Coon.

 

[Thomass]

Any updates on this topic? I assume these same programs offer their call rooms still, but are there any news ones that people could add to the list?