Ortho residency question

[unlvdmd]

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I am a first year and I am starting to think about applying for an ortho residency when the time comes. I am cluless about this as of now, but I know it takes good grades and a high class rank. Just how high? How good do your grades need to be? Is a 3.5 laughable? What about research? Is is required? I would rather do mission trips in my time off. Are they considered equally as desirable? Just curious about it in general. Thanks!

 

[Jediwendell]

Top five and above 95 on boards. If you are top ten and above 90 you have a chance, too, but you will have your work cut out for you when it comes to application time. It is a good idea to apply to as many programs as you can. They say you need around seven interviews to be mostly assured of getting into a residency. Start working on your letters of recommendation now. Meaning go and talk to people in the ortho department enough for them to know you, and maybe work on some research with them. Good letters can make your application work, even with lower numbers. The other problem is where you go to dental school. Most residencies only interview 2-3 people from each school. If you go to UPenn or UCLA or Columbia you will have more trouble than if you go to, say, Nebraska. I don't know how many UNLV people are interested in ortho, but it can make a difference. Can't really change this, but it is good to keep in mind when you are designing your application strategy.

 

[texas_dds]

i would say that research is pretty much required, especially at the programs that offer/require an MS degree - which most do. research doesnt have to mean test tubes and petri dishes though, ask around - you will find something you will like

 

[unlvdmd]

Ok! Thanks... Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I will update you and see where I am in a few years. Thanks again.

 

[TrojanDDS]

I would say that class rank may be more important that boards. Yes, you would need >90 to give yourself a realistic chance, but if there's a bunch of you applying from the same dental school, there really isn't much of a difference between a 95 and a 97 and the class rank might carry the heavier weight. I've heard of students with high class ranks and lower 90 boards in the past receive more interviews than vice versa.

 

[unlvdmd]

Question about this research.... when do you do it? During the semester after school or during your breaks? Summer? Just curious. Never heard of anyone doing it, probably cause my school is so new. Is the research usually school affiliated? Or do you go out into the community and find a project with an independent person in the field?

 

[UNLV OMS GUNNABE]

There is research going on at UNLV. Find a field that interests you and then look for a faculty member that works in that field. That's a good spot to start. You can also go to the research and residency group meetings.

 

[kato999]

We have a fairly light schedule in AZ right now, and I am planning to take the GRE in the next couple months.

for those that took the GRE how recent did the schools want your scores to be? I heard some schools say that they have to be within five years. there aren't any that want them to be more recent than that?

also, are good GRE scores used as a measuring stick to get in, or just as requirement to complete? trying to gage how much effort I actually want to put into this stupid test.

 

[Col Sanders]

There is research going on at UNLV. Find a field that interests you and then look for a faculty member that works in that field. That's a good spot to start. You can also go to the research and residency group meetings.

Its good to see you promoting research!!! You need to change your name to UNLV Ortho Wanabe for posting in an ortho thread.