Military GP applying to OMFS programs..

[EdwardKim]

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I am considering taking on HPSP scholarship, but the fact that I want to specialize and want to get MD/DDS degree through OMFS residency is halting me back from taking the scholarship..

My plan is to apply to 6 year civilian OMFS program after 4 years of active duty as a military general dentist, when I will be done paying the military obligations.

Before I try e-mailing all the chairs and directors of OMFS programs across the US, I'd like to ask you for your opinions.. If you know whether or not being a military GP for 4 years will hinder my chances in getting into civilian OMFS residency after.

Will my dental school credentials still be there by the time I apply? My board scores (if raw scores are able to be seen by programs although the board may go P/F) still be valid? Will they like the fact that I've worked in military facility as a general dentist for 4 years? Will my recommendation letters be valid if I got them from my dental school?

Additional question: If you don't go to medically incorporated dental school, besides UCSF's OMFS program, which 6 year programs do not let you finish in 6 years?

Is UCSF the only case?

Any insight would be very much appreciated. 🙂

 

[WilsonJing]

Navy in some cases will send you go a civilian program where u can do a 6-year program if u are interested. Army as far as I know, doesnt unfortunately. Also I wouldn't worry about ur board scores so much because I am assuming u are applying for schools now or is currently a 1st year. Anyways either way the boards will be P/N so raw score will not exist. Hope this helps.

 

[EdwardKim]

Navy in some cases will send you go a civilian program where u can do a 6-year program if u are interested. Army as far as I know, doesnt unfortunately. Also I wouldn't worry about ur board scores so much because I am assuming u are applying for schools now or is currently a 1st year. Anyways either way the boards will be P/N so raw score will not exist. Hope this helps.

I understand that, but I am thinking of taking HPSP route where I finish off 4 years of AD as military general dentist then applying to civilian OMS programs.. My question was about how doing 4 years of military general dentistry is looked by the residency directors.

 

[del Sol DOHC]

I understand that, but I am thinking of taking HPSP route where I finish off 4 years of AD as military general dentist then applying to civilian OMS programs.. My question was about how doing 4 years of military general dentistry is looked by the residency directors.

I can't imagine it would be regarded as anything other than a positive, especially if you have a GPR under your belt.

 

[Prior]

Why not do a military OMFS program immediately following dental school, practice OMFS for 4 years (as your payback) and if you care so much about having an MD get out of the military and find a program that will let you do the two years (they're out there) and defray the cost of the MD with your GI Bill? If you want to do surgery, don't waste 4 year as a GP. Nothing wrong with a year or two as a GP but if OMFS is your goal don't spend 4 years doing restorative dentistry. Just my thoughts

 

[krmower]

Why not do a military OMFS program immediately following dental school, practice OMFS for 4 years (as your payback) and if you care so much about having an MD get out of the military and find a program that will let you do the two years (they're out there) and defray the cost of the MD with your GI Bill? If you want to do surgery, don't waste 4 year as a GP. Nothing wrong with a year or two as a GP but if OMFS is your goal don't spend 4 years doing restorative dentistry. Just my thoughts

Only problem with that plan is that by the time your are done with the military payback you have already done 9+ yrs. Some people at that point don't want to, or can't afford to take a pay cut to go back to school.

In my opinion if the 6 yr degree is that important - do it all at once. If you don't you are much less likely at going back and doing it.

 

[del Sol DOHC]

Will my dental school credentials still be there by the time I apply? My board scores (if raw scores are able to be seen by programs although the board may go P/F) still be valid? Will they like the fact that I've worked in military facility as a general dentist for 4 years? Will my recommendation letters be valid if I got them from my dental school?

Your board scores are valid forever for the purpose of obtaining a license, but residency programs can require that boards be retaken if it has been too long, usually if it has been more than 5 years. I would imagine that this may not be such a big deal anymore once it goes pass/fail. As for your recommendation letters, if I were an OMFS program director reviewing your application, I would not want to see letters from your dental school if you had been a general dentist in the military for the past 4 years. Those letters would be meaningless by then, since you will have hopefully grown by leaps and bounds since dental school. I would expect that you would provide me with letters written by your senior dentists and military department heads who can attest that you were an excellent clinician.

 

[DrReo]

Your board scores are valid forever for the purpose of obtaining a license, but residency programs can require that boards be retaken if it has been too long, usually if it has been more than 5 years. I would imagine that this may not be such a big deal anymore once it goes pass/fail. As for your recommendation letters, if I were an OMFS program director reviewing your application, I would not want to see letters from your dental school if you had been a general dentist in the military for the past 4 years. Those letters would be meaningless by then, since you will have hopefully grown by leaps and bounds since dental school. I would expect that you would provide me with letters written by your senior dentists and military department heads who can attest that you were an excellent clinician.

Part I can no longer retaken if you receive a satisfactory score.

 

[ALTOSS]

if MD is what you want, don't do HPSP, period. it is very unlikely that the military would let you do a 6 yr program. 4 years is a very long time, and the active service obligation calculation can be tricky, and you may end up being stuck for more than 4 years and delay entering residency. i know many who wanted to do residency but couldn't get over the financial issues after practicing for a while. i think you should first figure out whether you want MD or OMFS. if you really want OMFS itself, doing it w/o MD would be just fine, but if not, you'd most likely regret it later (and couldn't go back if you decide to do 4 yr).

all that said, though, getting a spot in 6 yr program is extremely difficult (often top 10% of your class or better). d-school is no joke, so good luck.