"OMFS Externship Philosophy" although extensive, should be approached with a few general points in mind…
1. Hands-on vs. Hands-off style experiences.
2. Gain Experience based vs. my "desired" program
3. 4 year vs. 6 year program
1.
a. It is crucial to know what style of program you are about to extern at. Know what the philosophy is and exactly what the "extern" positions' job description entails. Some programs are very hands-on and prefer to have their externs learn/maximize their daily experiences within the clinic, operating room, ED, or during rounds. (ie. LSU). This can be an eye opening experience for a rookie extern looking to gain a broad perspective in general about the field of OMFS and a great place to start for a reality check. Also for the students who have been on other externships programs with this philosophy can be beneficial for a deeper understanding of OMF residency lifestyle as they will be expected to perform at the level of an intern…live in the life of a resident for two weeks, per say. The main thing to remember here is that you have to read ahead of time as much as possible, as there is limited time for actual didactic learning during your 2-4weeks as most programs expect a high level of performance, which means taking call every night. (means bring your A-Game)
b. Hands-off style programs enable students to look into the residency from a different perspective. You are not necessarily expected to scrub into every surgery and some places do not really take trauma call (academic/dental school based programs) Some advantages are that you can start out as a new extern and gain experience and a foundation about the field of OMFS as a resident but without the added responsibilities. Can be great for newer externs just starting out. Also for mature externs as they can slow things down a bit and learn more from the attending/residents directly.
Hope those were helpful, will be continuing the conversation if there is more interest….
