Research and Brown Nosers

[TylerDMD]

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It appears that many of my friends are doing research this summer to garner favor with the specialty adcoms. It's rather perplexing to me that a 2nd year student, still knowing VERY little about dentistry would be interested in studying some detailed topic rather than working on getting the basics down. After speaking with them, it appears that none of them are really interested in the research to begin with. My opinion is that research seems really boring. Likewise, if you wanted to be a lab rat in the first place, maybe a PhD would be better than a DMD?

A few conjectures I'd make, other things being equal:

1) Research will absolutely NOT get you into a specialty program but good grades and boards will.

2) You can't make up for poor academic performance by doing research.

3) MAYBE, if two people are identical, they MIGHT pick the one with the research but I think they'd pick the one with the good personality before it came to this.

-People should enjoy their summers, try to do interesting things with their lives outside of school and focus on learning the basics first.

Tyler

 

[Demeter]

Research can play an important part during the residency interview process.
An applicant with research experience will definitely have an upper compared to those who don't.
I was one of the applicants with little research experience. Everytime a question about research came up, I could feel my heart sink and I wished I had more to talk about.
I ended up getting a match position, but it took me 2 years.
People can't rely on their personalites and grades to get them into a residency. How do you know the guy/girl sitting next to you with a research award and 97 Board score does not have an amazing personality to go along with her awards.
Everyone that gets an interview is competitive.
You want the odds in your favor.

 

[dentigerous]

Don't be jeolous man, don't worry those people who bust their ass all summer doing research will get into programs over someone who just did decided to have fun and doing "interesting things"

 

[aphistis]

Don't be jeolous man, don't worry those people who bust their ass all summer doing research will get into programs over someone who just did decided to have fun and doing "interesting things"

And have to be stuck doing general dentistry. What a bummer. 🙄

 

[TylerDMD]

I really think you're DEAD wrong about research getting you into a specialty program. I've spoken to 3 friends who interviewed and were accepted into endo (1) and pedo (2) and the research issue never even came up. One of them is a second year resident who interviewed the future residents and they couldn't care less about research.

Likewise, I think everyone knows that its a bit hard to actually "do" research when you don't know anything about the hardcore sciences. And is dumping test-tubes for some PhD/DMD for the summer actually value-added...probably not.

Tyler

 

[Jone]

research will help you tremendously in the most competitive specialties. and don't blame the students who do research without being genuinely interested in it -- blame the specialty programs that require applicants to have research experience. i'm sure the brown-nosing students would rather spend their freetime at the beach, but they are making the sacrifices they do because they pretty much HAVE TO do it to get where they intend to be.

why the chip on your shoulder Tyler?

I really think you're DEAD wrong about research getting you into a specialty program. I've spoken to 3 friends who interviewed and were accepted into endo (1) and pedo (2) and the research issue never even came up. One of them is a second year resident who interviewed the future residents and they couldn't care less about research.

Likewise, I think everyone knows that its a bit hard to actually "do" research when you don't know anything about the hardcore sciences. And is dumping test-tubes for some PhD/DMD for the summer actually value-added...probably not.

Tyler

 

[scalpel2008]

I really think you're DEAD wrong about research getting you into a specialty program. I've spoken to 3 friends who interviewed and were accepted into endo (1) and pedo (2) and the research issue never even came up. One of them is a second year resident who interviewed the future residents and they couldn't care less about research.

Likewise, I think everyone knows that its a bit hard to actually "do" research when you don't know anything about the hardcore sciences. And is dumping test-tubes for some PhD/DMD for the summer actually value-added...probably not.

Tyler

I think you are missing the point. Residency requires the innate desire to investigate. Whether that means you pick up journals and read for you own benefit or whether you take it one step further and decide to test, either clinically or bench top, a question that you feel needs to be answered in order to improve what you and others can do clinically. As a junior dental student (2nd year) it may seem ridiculous to do research. But doing this will convey to the residency interviewers that you are willing to investigate. I did that research in dental school at the end of my first year about 7 years ago. It wasn't a waste of time.

 

[molarama]

I think you are missing the point. Residency requires the innate desire to investigate. Whether that means you pick up journals and read for you own benefit or whether you take it one step further and decide to test, either clinically or bench top, a question that you feel needs to be answered in order to improve what you and others can do clinically. As a junior dental student (2nd year) it may seem ridiculous to do research. But doing this will convey to the residency interviewers that you are willing to investigate. I did that research in dental school at the end of my first year about 7 years ago. It wasn't a waste of time.

I did zero research during dent school, but started during AEGD. don't mean to sound corny, but you may actually catch the research bug after giving it a try....that does happen to some of us you know.

 

[ktcook83]

And have to be stuck doing general dentistry. What a bummer. 🙄

Just what I was thinking Bill 😉 I can't wait to be a "lowly" GP. 🙄

 

[TylerDMD]

I think you are missing the point. Residency requires the innate desire to investigate. Whether that means you pick up journals and read for you own benefit or whether you take it one step further and decide to test, either clinically or bench top, a question that you feel needs to be answered in order to improve what you and others can do clinically. As a junior dental student (2nd year) it may seem ridiculous to do research. But doing this will convey to the residency interviewers that you are willing to investigate. I did that research in dental school at the end of my first year about 7 years ago. It wasn't a waste of time.

That's a cute thought, albeit with arrogant overtones. EVERYTHING in life requires the innate desire to investigate religiously if you want to be good at at. Building a custom house, restoring an old Porsche, doing a real estate deal, owning a mortgage company, everything. None of these things just fall into your lap. Frankly, the crap most researchers research doesn't teach you how to find the answers you need to know to succeed in life any better than the so called "hobbies" I mention. You probably wouldn't know that because you've never done any of these "real life" things and have been in school most of your life. Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough after you graduate.

 

[dexadental]

Off the subject but what is the easiest way to get involved in research as a first year? Will you have time? Has anyone done this? At my interview I was told very few first years do research, yet it can be done.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

A few conjectures I'd make, other things being equal:

1) Research will absolutely NOT get you into a specialty program but good grades and boards will.

2) You can't make up for poor academic performance by doing research.

3) MAYBE, if two people are identical, they MIGHT pick the one with the research but I think they'd pick the one with the good personality before it came to this.

-People should enjoy their summers, try to do interesting things with their lives outside of school and focus on learning the basics first.

Tyler

Maybe you should consider finishing dental school and getting accepted into a residency before offering advice on what is and is not important. I've read a lot of your posts, and I'd be hesitant to bank on your "personality" to get you in. Good luck in Prosth...

I would advise anyone wanting to specialize to get your hands on some kind of research project, not so much because the research will be impressive on your application but because it'll stand out if it's not there.

You don't have to trade "life experiences" for research time. Give me a break. Dental school is chock full of free time...

 

[scalpel2008]

Off the subject but what is the easiest way to get involved in research as a first year? Will you have time? Has anyone done this? At my interview I was told very few first years do research, yet it can be done.

it depends on whether your school has a structured research opportunity for dental students. when i was a dental student, we could apply for a reasearch assistantship for the summer after the first year (normally, this is a summer off). i did this for 2 months, about 6-7 hours/day, and found it helpful.

 

[dentigerous]

I really think you're DEAD wrong about research getting you into a specialty program. I've spoken to 3 friends who interviewed and were accepted into endo (1) and pedo (2) and the research issue never even came up. One of them is a second year resident who interviewed the future residents and they couldn't care less about research.

Likewise, I think everyone knows that its a bit hard to actually "do" research when you don't know anything about the hardcore sciences. And is dumping test-tubes for some PhD/DMD for the summer actually value-added...probably not.

Tyler

Research MAY be less important for specialities like pedo and endo but for OMS, ortho, perio its very important. And you can be guaranteed to stand out like a sore thumb trying to apply to ortho programs with zero research experience.

 

[12YearOldKid]

for most people research is just one of the hurdles you have to get over to reach your goals. Sure, some people enjoy it but most don't. I don't see what the big deal is.

It's like the organic chemistry requirement for dental school. Do some people enjoy it? Yes. Do the vast majority of people grudgingly make their way through it because it's going to get them into dental school? Yes. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. So take it easy on the gunners, man. 😀

 

[oops.]

thanks.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

btw - most researchers think that dentistry is boring. thanks.

That made me laugh.

I think Ty-guy will have a different take on research when he's filling out Match materials for the second time.

 

[JavadiCavity]

Only a fool would think that research isn't an important part of a residency application. It WILL stand out if you don't have research on your application. From talking with program directors in OMFS and ortho, I've learned that the nature/level of involvement in the research isn't important. I was told to just pick something to research and do it. I was also told it would be a very strong negative if I didn't do any research.

It appears to be true that board scores and rank get you past the screeners, but after all that hard work, you don't want to stick out for a lack of research.

I don't think anyone is pinning their hopes of specializing on a research project. It's just one more facet of the application that indicates they are serious about specializing.

 

[mzalendo]

It's a pitty very few see the importance of research in you day to day patient care let alone its potential in propelling you into residency.

 

[Cyclysm]

Only a fool would think that research isn't an important part of a residency application. It WILL stand out if you don't have research on your application. From talking with program directors in OMFS and ortho, I've learned that the nature/level of involvement in the research isn't important. I was told to just pick something to research and do it. I was also told it would be a very strong negative if I didn't do any research.

It appears to be true that board scores and rank get you past the screeners, but after all that hard work, you don't want to stick out for a lack of research.

I don't think anyone is pinning their hopes of specializing on a research project. It's just one more facet of the application that indicates they are serious about specializing.

I have a question, I was involved with some clinical research during my summers while in college. It was not dentistry related (novel hepatitis B/C treatments), but I really realized that I do not enjoy research at all. I have no clue whether I would like to specialize, but I know that I don't like research. For someone in my situation, do I just have to do something I don't enjoy just so I may have the oppritunity to specialize if I choose to? I realize that every research project is different, but working in that lab really put a sour taste in my mouth. Does the research that has been done a) have to be in dental school, and b) do you need to be published, because I was just summer help that processed samples and did lots of data entry.

 

[OMFSCardsFan]

For someone in my situation, do I just have to do something I don't enjoy just so I may have the oppritunity to specialize if I choose to?

Pretty much. Call it an initiation fee...

 

[dexadental]

Pretty much. Call it an initiation fee...

I agree. By the time you get to dental school, you should understand that a lot of things you don't want to do, you have to do...in order to get where you want to be. I think everyone knows this. So even if you hate research, you should do it if you want to specialize, otherwise, don't become a specialist. Without research I think you'd obviously not be a "specialist".