Need some advice about resigning from residency

[Churrobeans]

Hey all! Just wanted to hear some of your thoughts...
So I am currently in a 1 year AEGD residency program that I was initially very optimistic and excited about when I joined last summer. A little about me... I was a general dentist with a focus on children's dentistry for 7years prior, and I actually decided to pursue this residency to help boost my application to a PEDS residency program. When I applied the first time back in 2018, I sort of applied in a rush, didn't give the process the time and investment that I should have, and I only received 1 interview. Fast forward to the current cycle (MATCH day is only days away!), I opted to do this AEGD as a way of "changing things up a bit" to see if it would help differentiate me from other candidates and from my previous application cycle. Aside from this AEGD, I also applied way earlier, I applied broadly, got more involved in the dental community, did a few externships, took the ADAT, and launched my own research paper. I was blessed to have received many invitations from various programs, and this time around, I had more than 1 school to rank!

Anyway... back to my AEGD.. I am just short of miserable here as the expectations I had going in are not at all what has actually been. My workplace environment can be quite toxic and disorganized, and I feel that my learning/clinical experiences have fallen short of what I had envisioned. I left private practice, left my home, and took my family across the country for this residency, and it is absolutely beyond disappointing that my experiences have not been fulfilling at all. I was planning on resigning after MATCH day (assuming I get good news), and I've read through the rules of the match, and I've read through each PEDS residency program requirements (or at least the ones I interviewed with). None of them require completion of a GPR or AEGD, so I would think that my resigning (and I plan to do this as smoothly and as positively as I can) shouldn't theoretically jeopardize my MATCH?

What are your thoughts?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Combine33]

I feel you man, but you gotta look at it from this other side: Theres only 5 months left. And theres a real possibility that your peds program will ask you for your certificate. I was in an AEGD where one of my co-residents got into ortho and then she had to take some time off for family reasons. As her time off became longer and longer, she considered leaving the AEGD and work part time until her ortho program started. BUT! The PD at the ortho program told her if she left, she would also forfeit her spot. Dont make any crazy decisions. What are you going to do for 5 months? Do you have a license to practice in the state you're in? Seems like more hassle than its worth.

 

[Svart Aske]

Why did you think going back to do an AEGD when you were already a practicing dentist is a good idea?

 

[Churrobeans]

Why did you think going back to do an AEGD when you were already a practicing dentist is a good idea?

Honestly, the AEGD wasn’t something I had originally planned for. I was just going to re-apply initially, but it was something that one of the Program directors had suggested candidates could do to improve their candidacy for a program. The AEGD or GPR were listed among other things ( externships, volunteer, working with a pediatric dentist, research, etc). So I literally did all of these things

 

[Svart Aske]

Honestly, the AEGD wasn’t something I had originally planned for. I was just going to re-apply initially, but it was something that one of the Program directors had suggested candidates could do to improve their candidacy for a program. The AEGD or GPR were listed among other things ( externships, volunteer, working with a pediatric dentist, research, etc). So I literally did all of these things

Doing AEGD/GPR to boost application is really more for new graduates. Your experience in private practice and treating pediatric patients should have been more than enough to demonstrate experience and interest. At this point I would just tough it out for the remaining 5 months and spend the time to focus on getting ready for peds residency (if you match) by reading literature and focus on pediatric patients in your program if possible.

 

[ElCubanito]

So you had almost a decade of experience in Pedo and still wanted to do PEDs residency? What could a PEDs residency really teach you.... or you just wanted higher reimbursement rates? I don't get it. Just stick it out...do bare minimum work, hit the gym.

 

[Churrobeans]

So you had almost a decade of experience in Pedo and still wanted to do PEDs residency? What could a PEDs residency really teach you.... or you just wanted higher reimbursement rates? I don't get it. Just stick it out...do bare minimum work, bang some hotties, hit the gym.

Hi there! I’m a chick. But thanks for humoring me.
And for the record, I think most everyone can agree that there’s always more to learn in pediatric dentistry that general dentists aren’t formally trained to do properly, regardless of CE training and years in experience. I loved what I did, but I felt like I wasn’t able to really provide that high level of care that children with diverse needs really need

 

[ATdds0172]

Hi there! I’m a chick. But thanks for humoring me.
And for the record, I think most everyone can agree that there’s always more to learn in pediatric dentistry that general dentists aren’t formally trained to do properly, regardless of CE training and years in experience. I loved what I did, but I felt like I wasn’t able to really provide that high level of care that children with diverse needs really need

@Churrobeans - Can I send you PM? I have a question about applying for an AEGD/GPR as a working dentist, thanks!

 

[nade0016]

Hey all! Just wanted to hear some of your thoughts...
So I am currently in a 1 year AEGD residency program that I was initially very optimistic and excited about when I joined last summer. A little about me... I was a general dentist with a focus on children's dentistry for 7years prior, and I actually decided to pursue this residency to help boost my application to a PEDS residency program. When I applied the first time back in 2018, I sort of applied in a rush, didn't give the process the time and investment that I should have, and I only received 1 interview. Fast forward to the current cycle (MATCH day is only days away!), I opted to do this AEGD as a way of "changing things up a bit" to see if it would help differentiate me from other candidates and from my previous application cycle. Aside from this AEGD, I also applied way earlier, I applied broadly, got more involved in the dental community, did a few externships, took the ADAT, and launched my own research paper. I was blessed to have received many invitations from various programs, and this time around, I had more than 1 school to rank!

Anyway... back to my AEGD.. I am just short of miserable here as the expectations I had going in are not at all what has actually been. My workplace environment can be quite toxic and disorganized, and I feel that my learning/clinical experiences have fallen short of what I had envisioned. I left private practice, left my home, and took my family across the country for this residency, and it is absolutely beyond disappointing that my experiences have not been fulfilling at all. I was planning on resigning after MATCH day (assuming I get good news), and I've read through the rules of the match, and I've read through each PEDS residency program requirements (or at least the ones I interviewed with). None of them require completion of a GPR or AEGD, so I would think that my resigning (and I plan to do this as smoothly and as positively as I can) shouldn't theoretically jeopardize my MATCH?

What are your thoughts?

I agree with the other folks. Seems like a hassle for 4-5 months and could prove problematic. If you do decide to do that I would reach out to the Peds residency you match at and make sure they are OK with this decision. They may have based selecting you on the commitment to education and this could put them off. As a OMS PD myself I would do what you can to stay with it. Make it better from the inside. Leave a positive impact on the AEGD. Make them better for having you there. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cmjacks5]

Resign. What’s for you isn’t going to pass you by. Life too short and dentistry to stressful to be unhappy. Positive vibes being sent your way. I am sure you matched. It appears you corrected any “deficiencies” prior to you applying to pedo anyway! Good luck

 

[Alpha Centauri]

If you get in (good luck!) resign and try to moonlight in the area you get accepted to (assuming your pay is better than currently at your aegd). I doubt there are any sort of stipulations in your acceptance saying you must stay at your program that has no relation to the news reidency

 

[Rambunctious]

Hey all! Just wanted to hear some of your thoughts...
So I am currently in a 1 year AEGD residency program that I was initially very optimistic and excited about when I joined last summer. A little about me... I was a general dentist with a focus on children's dentistry for 7years prior, and I actually decided to pursue this residency to help boost my application to a PEDS residency program. When I applied the first time back in 2018, I sort of applied in a rush, didn't give the process the time and investment that I should have, and I only received 1 interview. Fast forward to the current cycle (MATCH day is only days away!), I opted to do this AEGD as a way of "changing things up a bit" to see if it would help differentiate me from other candidates and from my previous application cycle. Aside from this AEGD, I also applied way earlier, I applied broadly, got more involved in the dental community, did a few externships, took the ADAT, and launched my own research paper. I was blessed to have received many invitations from various programs, and this time around, I had more than 1 school to rank!

Anyway... back to my AEGD.. I am just short of miserable here as the expectations I had going in are not at all what has actually been. My workplace environment can be quite toxic and disorganized, and I feel that my learning/clinical experiences have fallen short of what I had envisioned. I left private practice, left my home, and took my family across the country for this residency, and it is absolutely beyond disappointing that my experiences have not been fulfilling at all. I was planning on resigning after MATCH day (assuming I get good news), and I've read through the rules of the match, and I've read through each PEDS residency program requirements (or at least the ones I interviewed with). None of them require completion of a GPR or AEGD, so I would think that my resigning (and I plan to do this as smoothly and as positively as I can) shouldn't theoretically jeopardize my MATCH?

What are your thoughts?

7 years doing peds dentistry is really more experience you will get than a 2 year peds program and that is a fact. If you don't feel like you're giving a high level of care right now then a residency will not make you any better. PEDS is literally bread and butter dentistry (fillings extractions, crowns) and its actually considered easy dentistry compared to other specialties including general dentistry. The difficult part is managing uncooperative kids and difficult parents that you don't get in other specialities.

 

[Tootyfruity]

There's a strong stigma against this type of thing. Whether or not your future director cares is up to him or her.