Looking for OMFS externs: Highland Hospital

[flat4]

I can't believe it but this season, we'll be interviewing for MY interns/bitches for next year. Being the control freak I am, I want to make sure we get the best candidates and the only way to tell that is thru externships. Although numbers are an important part of the game, knowing how you perform and work with the group is, in my mind, just as important. Externships also give YOU an idea if you like the program/personel or not. Do we have a say in the admissions process? Ultimately, our PD makes the call but I truly believe he takes our opinion into account and when it's close, you never know.

Anyways, we are a 4 year certificate program in Oakland, CA affiliated with the University of Pacific. Highland Genral is a level II trauma center but in reality we get all the major trauma in Oakland + much of the East Bay. There are no Plastics or ENT residents so we get ALL face call all the time. Trauma is the majority of our OR cases at Highland but we also do some pathology, reconstruction, TMJ, infections, occasional orthognathics and whatever else may come our way. Our gun/knife club is VERY active. Our dentoalveolar clinic is run by the 1st and 2nd years (3rd and 4th years also when not in the OR). We have tons of thirds cases from day 1 and implants range from single esthetic cases at the dental school to Nobel Guide Quad Zygoma's with Dr. Bedrossian. We have a great ED whom we have a great relationship with and they weed out alot of the garbage. Call is from home and is anywhere from 5-10 days/month. A total of 8 months during 3rd and 4th year are spent at Kaiser Oakland doing mainly Orthognathic surgery. We are part of the cleft team at Children's Hospital Oakland (take trauma call there as well). Our only "weakness" is in Cancer and Cosmetics. There are no fellows and we have no vascular free flap capability which may not be such a bad thing depending on what you are looking for. Our faculty are very diverse, motivated, and engaging. One of our biggest strengths is the comraderie between the residents. Rotations include Anesthesia, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Trauma, Oral Pathology, and Plastics. We have 4 weeks of paid vacation per year that we have to take all at once. Pay is in the low 30K but increases to 50K+ by chief year.

Anyways, that's our program in a nutshell but if you have any other questions, feel free to post here or contact me by PM and I'll be happy to assist you or answer any questions. This IS a very competetive 4 year so you will need decent numbers if you want to get an interview but if you have them, a positive externship experience will give you a significant edge over the competition. Good luck this cycle.

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[live]

What are the requirements for externships at Highland? Like do you have to be a 3rd year, etc. Thanks and the program sounds great!

 

[flat4]

Here's what I got from the AAOMS website. Let me know ahead of time and I can try and get things expedited but our secretary Angela is very on top of things.

Highland Hospital Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery1411 East 31st Street
Oakland, CA 94602-
Director/Contact: Dr. A. Thomas Indresano
Phone: (510) 437-4598
Fax: (510) 437-5128
E-mail: [email protected]
University of the Pacific/Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital
Two to four weeks externships are available to third year or higher dental students. Externs function as an aid to
oral and maxillofacial surgery residents. Assist in IVSA/GA clinics as scheduled; assist residents with drop-inpatients;
pre-rounds in A.M. and P.M. with residents and staff.
Requirements: Applicants must send the following: (1) a letter from the Dean of his/her dental school; (2) one
other faculty recommendation letter; (3) proof of malpractice insurance coverage while at Highland Hospital
(minimum amount of acceptable coverage is $1,000,000); (4) proof of health insurance which covers the student
while at Highland Hospital; (5) current immunization record (must include PPD); (6) proof of HIPAA training (if not
current, the extern may, on his/her first day in the Highland Hospital Clinic, complete a HIPAA information book we
provide and complete the test on the information contained in this book). An application form must be completed
and approved by the program director.
We do NOT provide housing or meals. Parking is available on campus at a charge. There is a cafeteria in the
hospital where meals may be purchased.
Application Instructions: For an application, please contact the secretary of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Angela
Holland at (510) 437-4598, E-mail address: [email protected]

 

[shabu2]

Seems like yesterday that I interviewed with you at Jefferson.

 

[armorshell]

July 28-31. Prepare yourselves for armorshell

 

[flat4]

Seems like yesterday that I interviewed with you at Jefferson.

No joke. Time is flying like no other. I remember the chief resident that looked like "Oddjob" from Goldfinger with your exact same name. How are things down South?

July 28-31. Prepare yourselves for armorshell

Unfortunately I'm off to Kaiser for 4 months starting July
but we'll be ready...we're gonna take special care of you Which externships have you done?

 

[armorshell]

No joke. Time is flying like no other. I remember the chief resident that looked like "Oddjob" from Goldfinger with your exact same name. How are things down South?


Unfortunately I'm off to Kaiser for 4 months starting July
but we'll be ready...we're gonna take special care of you Which externships have you done?

Haven't done any new ones yet, but I have a few lined up for the summer

 

[flat4]

I got sent a couple good questions which I think other people may have.

So what is the actual externship like? We WILL put you to work and what you do is up to your motivation and how much we trust you. Your main duties include helping out in the drop-in clinic...basically point and pull emergency clinic. You'll get some I and D experience and may also take part in follow ups including suture/arch bar removal. In 2 weeks, you can get a few hundred teeth if you're efficient (we'll give you our scheduled local FMX's if we trust your abilities). You will also be able to observe/scrub in the OR, help with implant cases, participate in grand rounds/conferences, visit UOP or Kaiser, and take call with the resident. During call, you may be able to close some lacs or help place arch bars.

What are my expectations? You will be held to the expectations of an intern. This means you should take call (might as well not come at all if you don't), do as you're told, work your butt off, leave only when the chief leaves, and overall make the other residents lives easier by doing the little things (aka scut). That said, don't be too aggressive either. Basically, a good extern is someone that get's along well with the residents, works hard, is teachable, is not an annoying know it all, and actually helpful in the day to day operations. This I think is pretty much the same for externships anywhere.

Is it too late to do an externship now? Short answer is no. You can even do an externship anytime before Match day. You can even do a second externship at the same program AFTER interviews to see if you really liked that program. If you are going to do one after you are going to submit PASS, it's okay to put it on your application...if you end up not going, then you should let programs know during interview time if they ask (they always ask about externships).

 

[brycethefatty]

I got sent a couple good questions which I think other people may have.

So what is the actual externship like? We WILL put you to work and what you do is up to your motivation and how much we trust you. Your main duties include helping out in the drop-in clinic...basically point and pull emergency clinic. You'll get some I and D experience and may also take part in follow ups including suture/arch bar removal. In 2 weeks, you can get a few hundred teeth if you're efficient (we'll give you our scheduled local FMX's if we trust your abilities). You will also be able to observe/scrub in the OR, help with implant cases, participate in grand rounds/conferences, visit UOP or Kaiser, and take call with the resident. During call, you may be able to close some lacs or help place arch bars.

What are my expectations? You will be held to the expectations of an intern. This means you should take call (might as well not come at all if you don't), do as you're told, work your butt off, leave only when the chief leaves, and overall make the other residents lives easier by doing the little things (aka scut). That said, don't be too aggressive either. Basically, a good extern is someone that get's along well with the residents, works hard, is teachable, is not an annoying know it all, and actually helpful in the day to day operations. This I think is pretty much the same for externships anywhere.

Is it too late to do an externship now? Short answer is no. You can even do an externship anytime before Match day. You can even do a second externship at the same program AFTER interviews to see if you really liked that program. If you are going to do one after you are going to submit PASS, it's okay to put it on your application...if you end up not going, then you should let programs know during interview time if they ask (they always ask about externships).

Okay, you've almost convinced me to come extern there at your program. One thing first - if I come, will you share a bunk with me in the call room?

 

[flat4]

Okay, you've almost convinced me to come extern there at your program. One thing first - if I come, will you share a bunk with me in the call room?

Sorry. I've seen your numbers personally and I just don't think it's going to work out. But the call room thing can be arranged. I have the perfect intern in mind for you...contact him at [email protected].

 

[resiliens]

Necroing this cuz I'm wondering if y'all think a D3.5 can hack it at Highland during Christmas break. I know the externship is hands on and that we'll get fairly involved, and obviously a D4 should perform a bit better, but I'm curious as to whether there have been D3.5s (except for UOP dental students, cuz they're pretty much D4s) who performed well in the past. If anyone has externed there recently, it'd be great to hear from you as well.

Merry Xmas