oral and maxillofacial surgery question

[achilles2]

I plan on attending dental school next year (fall of 2009) I took the DATs and scored a 25 and sent in my applications so its the waiting game now.

My question is I would like to make myself competitive as possible to attempt to gain entry into the specialization of oral and maxillofacial surgery, should I take the MCATs since you have to be (at least from what I've gathered) accepted into a medical program for rotations?

Other then that what else can one do to improve their application for specialization. Currently I am working towards my masters in pharmacology but I am unsure if that will assist.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

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[aphistis]

Don't take this the wrong way (I mean that), but if you think you have to take the MCAT and be accepted separately into med school to become an OMFS, it sounds like you still have a lot to learn about the specialty. You'll hear this from a lot of other people, probably, but it's good advice: getting into dental school is no sure thing anymore, so concentrate on that first.

Once you're in dental school, first focus on doing as well as you can, since dental school academic and boards performance are the two biggest criteria for matching into a specialty.

Once you're settled in and performing well, THEN work on getting more exposure to OMFS or whatever other aspects of dentistry appeal to you the most. Good luck.

 

[achilles2]

Don't take this the wrong way (I mean that), but if you think you have to take the MCAT and be accepted separately into med school to become an OMFS, it sounds like you still have a lot to learn about the specialty. You'll hear this from a lot of other people, probably, but it's good advice: getting into dental school is no sure thing anymore, so concentrate on that first.

Once you're in dental school, first focus on doing as well as you can, since dental school academic and boards performance are the two biggest criteria for matching into a specialty.

Once you're settled in and performing well, THEN work on getting more exposure to OMFS or whatever other aspects of dentistry appeal to you the most. Good luck.

Thank you for your response. I agree I do need to learn significantly more about the specialty but I figured SDN was a good place to start. I knew that you didn't NEED the MCATs I was just wondering if it placed you at an adv if you took them and scored well.....Perhaps I did not phrase the question in the best way.

Thanks again =)

 

[Streetwolf]

No it would not help you as far as I know. You need to do well in your didactic courses in d-school, especially since the boards will become pass/fail by the time you take them.

You'll need the usual other things too like good letters of rec, etc. Maybe someone who is a 3rd or 4th year could give you some more things you should have under your belt cause I'm only starting 2nd year so I'm obviously clueless about it.

 

[flat4]

You need to do well in your didactic courses in d-school, especially since the boards will become pass/fail by the time you take them.

So if they turn boards into pass/fail, then that puts students at schools with pass/fail grading (with no class rank) at a considerable disadvantage since there will be no more criteria to determine objectively how all these applicants compare. So my advice would be to stay away from these schools with no class rank if you have any inclination to specialize in any competetive field.

 

[achilles2]

So if they turn boards into pass/fail, then that puts students at schools with pass/fail grading (with no class rank) at a considerable disadvantage since there will be no more criteria to determine objectively how all these applicants compare. So my advice would be to stay away from these schools with no class rank if you have any inclination to specialize in any competetive field.

Yes this is very interesting with the pass/fail system coming into play with the boards (2010 I believe???)

I was searching for information but it seems a bit nebulous at the moment on how rankings are going to work. I imagine this puts significantly more emphasis on GPA during dental school but I was unsure.

 

[predentn]

So if they turn boards into pass/fail, then that puts students at schools with pass/fail grading (with no class rank) at a considerable disadvantage since there will be no more criteria to determine objectively how all these applicants compare. So my advice would be to stay away from these schools with no class rank if you have any inclination to specialize in any competetive field.

All it takes is a call to the school...

 

[DCRedskinsRule]

trust me...no matter how smart you are...worrying about OMFS or other specialties goes right out the window the first day of classes when reality b*tch slaps you right across the face. You shift from application building to survival mode the second you get 30+credit hours of work and waxing...and are repeatedly told that you're in the easiest semester of the first 4 by far.

On the other hand, having a long term goal like that can be a really good motivating factor when you realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly don't want to study and would rather watch ESPN or sleep or breathe or something...So keep a goal in mind, but take it one step at a time.

 

[achilles2]

trust me...no matter how smart you are...worrying about OMFS or other specialties goes right out the window the first day of classes when reality b*tch slaps you right across the face. You shift from application building to survival mode the second you get 30+credit hours of work and waxing...and are repeatedly told that you're in the easiest semester of the first 4 by far.

On the other hand, having a long term goal like that can be a really good motivating factor when you realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly don't want to study and would rather watch ESPN or sleep or breathe or something...So keep a goal in mind, but take it one step at a time.

LOL reality is always a party crasher. But IMO you need a reason to work hard otherwise why strive when its football season.

 

[DCRedskinsRule]

LOL reality is always a party crasher. But IMO you need a reason to work hard otherwise why strive when its football season.

Lol well said!

 

[flat4]

All it takes is a call to the school...

Good luck with that. Fact is, PD's have to weed through hundreds of applications in order to narrow down who to interview. In this initial step, applicant's have to meet certain strict criteria, most importantly...class rank and nat'l boards. In the past, you had the boards to weed through the students who went to non-rank schools. In the new format, you're not going to have either. And trust me, nobodies gonna waste their time to call schools to see what type of student you are. That's what letter of recs are for. Unfortunately, until they figure out some other objective criteria, you are better off going to a school with a ranking system(this includes schools that rank their students even with pass/fail using honors).

 

[cookand]

First of all, Go Skins and War Eagle!! Wasn't pretty tonight, but we'll come around.

If I'm not mistaken, the boards will be pass/fail, but a numerical score will be given for those who want to specialize. Correct me if I'm wrong. I said this somewhere else on SDN but can't remember where, so this may have already been answered. If so, I'm sorry. I'll try and remember to ask my dental anatomy teacher (who writes questions for the boards) what the answer is.

 

[HawkeyeDDS]

Just get into dental school, do your best, and keep an open mind. Take one day at a time. You might find that after your 3rd year and that you want to do something else. no biggie.

 

[QCkid]

I plan on attending dental school next year (fall of 2009) I took the DATs and scored a 25 and sent in my applications so its the waiting game now.

My question is I would like to make myself competitive as possible to attempt to gain entry into the specialization of oral and maxillofacial surgery, should I take the MCATs since you have to be (at least from what I've gathered) accepted into a medical program for rotations?

Other then that what else can one do to improve their application for specialization. Currently I am working towards my masters in pharmacology but I am unsure if that will assist.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

First, how long is the score good for. Most test have a time limit. If the time limit is 4 or more years, you have lots of time right now, and an inclination to study, why not go for it? It cant hurt.

 

[54807]

trust me...no matter how smart you are...worrying about OMFS or other specialties goes right out the window the first day of classes when reality b*tch slaps you right across the face. You shift from application building to survival mode the second you get 30+credit hours of work and waxing...and are repeatedly told that you're in the easiest semester of the first 4 by far.

haha, nothing can be closer to the truth!!

There is nothing more shattering to your OMFS dreams than failing in your pre-clinical operative or fixed classes!!

i don't know how i made it through that......

 

[Devil Doc]

haha, nothing can be closer to the truth!!

There is nothing more shattering to your OMFS dreams than failing in your pre-clinical operative or fixed classes!!

i don't know how i made it through that......

Just the thought of that makes me want to go back and pop those crown preps out of the typodont with a 301.

 

[Squished Rat]

Just get into dental school, do your best, and keep an open mind. Take one day at a time. You might find that after your 3rd year and that you want to do something else. no biggie.

I would echo this setiment. I used to be very interested in OMFS, but found that my true love/passion in dentistry lie in another area.

 

[PChemGrad]

I would echo this setiment. I used to be very interested in OMFS, but found that my true love/passion in dentistry lie in another area.

what would that be correcting TMJ problems with breast massages?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301710,00.html

 

[HawkeyeDDS]

what would that be correcting TMJ problems with breast massages?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301710,00.html

Makes me feel better, however it is awkward to walk away from the patient with scrubs on.

 

[btizzels]

trust me...no matter how smart you are...worrying about OMFS or other specialties goes right out the window the first day of classes when reality b*tch slaps you right across the face. You shift from application building to survival mode the second you get 30+credit hours of work and waxing...and are repeatedly told that you're in the easiest semester of the first 4 by far.

On the other hand, having a long term goal like that can be a really good motivating factor when you realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly don't want to study and would rather watch ESPN or sleep or breathe or something...So keep a goal in mind, but take it one step at a time.

Good to know that my school isn't the only one where they kick you in the balls the first day you start. Survival mode is all you hear around here, and everyone keeps telling us.... enjoy it while it lasts, because it is just going to get worse. So as everyone else said, get into school first, do well in school, and then worry about OMFS

 

[HawkeyeDDS]

As an "aside" I received 3 "cookie baskets" from different specialists last christmas. Remember specialites are great, but they still have to kiss your *** for you to send them patients.

 

[gryffindor]

As an "aside" I received 3 "cookie baskets" from different specialists last christmas. Remember specialites are great, but they still have to kiss your *** for you to send them patients.

As a specialist to be currently leafing through the cookie basket catalogs, maybe you could give us some insight on what you do want the specialists to send you instead of the cookie baskets.

 

[1992Corolla]

1st hand knowledge of what some specialists give out:

Books - they are always nice to get to increase the library. Most of the time it is the big fat drug book - but can be other ones related to dentistry (or not related)

Season tickets to sweet seats. Have a team in your area? Buy some seats with your other specialist frineds and use them to go to games and give to referring dentists.

Have a condo? Let the dentist and his family stay there for a week(end).

If the dentist is sending you xxx amount of dollars a year than he is worth way more than butter cookies and a cheap bottle of chardonnay.

 

[KOM]

If the dentist is sending you xxx amount of dollars a year than he is worth way more than butter cookies and a cheap bottle of chardonnay.

How about free orthodontic work for all your kids. That was pretty nice for me (me being the kid at the time).

As an aside, is it considered legal to trade dental work for other services? Say you have a patient that can fix that front fender on your new car...can you swap services without charging said patient?

I've heard that any services rendered need to be billed so the IRS can take a big fat bite out of it. Is this true?

 

[armorshell]

A friend told me about a specialist in arizona who lends out his Dodge Viper on the weekends to referring dentists. Awesome perk for his referring dentists, and he writes off a sports car as a business expense.

 

[Imanee]

trust me...no matter how smart you are...worrying about OMFS or other specialties goes right out the window the first day of classes when reality b*tch slaps you right across the face. You shift from application building to survival mode the second you get 30+credit hours of work and waxing...and are repeatedly told that you're in the easiest semester of the first 4 by far.

On the other hand, having a long term goal like that can be a really good motivating factor when you realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly don't want to study and would rather watch ESPN or sleep or breathe or something...So keep a goal in mind, but take it one step at a time.

I agree dental school is "reality b*tch slap". There is so much to do. Yet, you have to keep yourself motivated and on schedule to execute all the required tasks. I'm still getting use to it as a 1st yr. student.

 

[Squished Rat]

How about free orthodontic work for all your kids. That was pretty nice for me (me being the kid at the time).

As an aside, is it considered legal to trade dental work for other services? Say you have a patient that can fix that front fender on your new car...can you swap services without charging said patient?

I've heard that any services rendered need to be billed so the IRS can take a big fat bite out of it. Is this true?

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420.html

Topic 420 - Bartering Income

"Bartering occurs when you exchange goods or services without exchanging money. An example of bartering is a plumber doing repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental services. The fair market value of goods and services exchanged must be included in the income of both parties.

Income from bartering is taxable in the year it is performed. Generally, you report this income on Form 1040, Schedule C (PDF), Profit or Loss from Business. If you have failed to report this income correct your return by filing a Form 1040X. Refer to Topic 308 for Amended Return information.

A barter exchange is any person or organization with members or clients that contract with each other (or with the barter exchange) to jointly trade or barter property or services. The term does not include arrangements that provide solely for the informal exchange of similar services on a noncommercial basis.

The Internet has provided a medium for new growth in the bartering exchange industry. This growth prompts the following reminder: Barter exchanges are required to file Form 1099-B for all transactions unless certain exceptions are met. Refer to Barter Exchanges for additional information on this subject. If you are in a business or trade, you may deduct any costs you incurred to perform the work that was bartered. If you exchanged property or services through a barter exchange, you should receive a Form 1099-B (PDF), Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions. The IRS will also receive the same information.

If you receive income from bartering, you may be required to make estimated tax payments. Refer to Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, for additional information."

In short, you can do it, but you are supposed to report it.

 

[shabu2]

To the OP:
The road to OMFS is a 8-10yr arduous path. Compared to my classmates in GP already, I am way over-in-debt, still a student, work long hours (~100), have more than 4yrs til freedom, etc.

If you haven't been accepted into Dental school yet, I agree will Bill (post #2). You might actually find that OMFS is not for you, or something else grabs your fancy. Concentrate on doing well and graduating from dental school first before stressing about OMFS young padawan.