NBME 4th year and OMFS residents

[ub4me]

I know the answer is on here somewhere but search isn't doing me any favors today. I am third year student that has been interested in oral surgery but am not the type to make up my mind before I actually get to experience it first hand. I am wondering if:

1. You can take the NBME during your fourth year and apply for that same year?

Also I have some general questions for OMFS residents or students applying:

2. When did you know you wanted to be an oral surgeon for sure?

3. Are there any pros to going out and working as a dentist for a year or so to settle debt before a residency, or is that just wasting time getting to the end goal?

Thank you, and I did google and search before posting, there are so many NBME threads and sites that its hard to find exactly what I'm looking for.

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[AlbinoPolarBear]

I am a rising Senior dental student that is applying this summer for OMFS residencies, so here is my take on it...

1. They offer the NBME twice a year, in February and August. The program deadlines for applications is usually the September or October for start in July the following year. So if you want to take the NBME CBSE during your senior year, then do it in August.

2. After I did some shadowing at the Oral Surgery program at my school. I just couldn't see myself doing anything else.

3. The majority of students match straight out of school. The remaining usually match after doing an oral surgery internship or GPR/AEGD. Most programs take only 1-3 residents a year, so the worst thing that can happen to the program is that a resident quits. My theory is that people who have never seen the "good life" will be less likely to quit when the residency becomes extremely brutal (think 36 hour shifts). There are people every year who match after working in private practice for a few years, but those aren't the norm.

For the NBME CBSE, it's not a test that you can study 1 month and expect to do well. It requires a massive time commitment if you did not attend a school where the basic classes are integrated with the medical students. Also, make time to do 4-6 weeks of externships in oral surgery, preferably after you taken out your first tooth, as those play a major role on your commitment to oral surgery.

After talking to a few program directors and residents, the general consensus is Interview > NBME CBSE > Class rank > Externships, so kill that test and you'll be able to land tons of interviews.

 

[ub4me]

I am a rising Senior dental student that is applying this summer for OMFS residencies, so here is my take on it...

1. They offer the NBME twice a year, in February and August. The program deadlines for applications is usually the September or October for start in July the following year. So if you want to take the NBME CBSE during your senior year, then do it in August.

2. After I did some shadowing at the Oral Surgery program at my school. I just couldn't see myself doing anything else.

3. The majority of students match straight out of school. The remaining usually match after doing an oral surgery internship or GPR/AEGD. Most programs take only 1-3 residents a year, so the worst thing that can happen to the program is that a resident quits. My theory is that people who have never seen the "good life" will be less likely to quit when the residency becomes extremely brutal (think 36 hour shifts). There are people every year who match after working in private practice for a few years, but those aren't the norm.

For the NBME CBSE, it's not a test that you can't study 1 month and expect to do well. It requires a massive time commitment if you did not attend a school where the basic classes are integrated with the medical students. Also, make time to do 4-6 weeks of externships in oral surgery, preferably after you taken out your first tooth, as those play a major role on your commitment to oral surgery.

After talking to a few program directors and residents, the general consensus is Interview > NBME CBSE > Class rank > Externships, so kill that test and you'll be able to land tons of interviews.

Thank you for the great response. Answered everything really well. Hopefully after I've gotten some experience with the Oral Surgery department I will know what I want to do. Thanks again, and good luck getting in!