should I wait to apply for endo residency?

[dentgeek101]

I'm a current GPR resident and thinking about endo residency. I've been reading directors like to see multiple years in private practice and was wondering if I should wait and apply in the 2023 cycle (and have 1 full year of private practice under my belt) or start the process now and apply for 2022 cycle (just a gpr under my belt). I have not taken the adat, have not shadowed any endodontists yet, but pretty certain I want to specialize in endo. I was in the top 30% in dental school. What would you do?

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[dentgeek101]

Bump

 

[Flashes23]

Apply now, don't waste another year. GPR is enough.

 

[PerioDont]

I know a few people who got in with just a GPR year to endo!

 

[cmjacks5]

Do what’s BEST for you. You already know your answer so why are you asking us

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

Apply. You may not get in this cycle but you’ll get a much better feel for the process, learn more about programs, and it shows motivation when you reapply.

 

[FutureDent020]

I'm a current GPR resident and thinking about endo residency. I've been reading directors like to see multiple years in private practice and was wondering if I should wait and apply in the 2023 cycle (and have 1 full year of private practice under my belt) or start the process now and apply for 2022 cycle (just a gpr under my belt). I have not taken the adat, have not shadowed any endodontists yet, but pretty certain I want to specialize in endo. I was in the top 30% in dental school. What would you do?

Just apply. You may not be as competitive as you could be several years from now with some more practice/ experience under your belt. But you could still get in. And by the way, you should be CERTAIN you want specialize before you apply. That’s why a lot of directors like experienced applicants. Not only does it make them easier to handle in the clinic, but they also have had several years to think about specializing and by the time they apply, they know they want to be a specialist.

 

[Faefly]

Just apply. You may not be as competitive as you could be several years from now with some more practice/ experience under your belt. But you could still get in. And by the way, you should be CERTAIN you want specialize before you apply. That’s why a lot of directors like experienced applicants. Not only does it make them easier to handle in the clinic, but they also have had several years to think about specializing and by the time they apply, they know they want to be a specialist.

Why is this a thing for endo, but not ortho or oral surgery or ped or perio, many fresh graduates get into these programs without any gpr or years of experience, right out of dental school. Why Endo makes it hard for dental graduates to get into it? Why do we have to be 100% sure, meanwhile other specialties, dental graduates don't have to be 100% sure by working for years before applying. Is there a reason for this?

 

[nobeldds]

Why is this a thing for endo, but not ortho or oral surgery or ped or perio, many fresh graduates get into these programs without any gpr or years of experience, right out of dental school. Why Endo makes it hard for dental graduates to get into it? Why do we have to be 100% sure, meanwhile other specialties, dental graduates don't have to be 100% sure by working for years before applying. Is there a reason for this?

I think it’s just because endo is a lot more technically challenging. How can you learn the intricacies canal negotiation if you are still fumbling at getting profound pulpal anesthesia? How can you expect to remove a separated instrument by looking through your microscope, when you still haven’t even gotten used to your loupes yet? I think you would be wasting your time in endo residency if you are not already very competent in restorative dentistry. The same cannot be said for OS, ortho or perio. Also most dental students these days are only doing 1-3 RCTs while many are still getting plenty of surgery experiences with 60-100+ extractions…

 

[FutureDent020]

Why is this a thing for endo, but not ortho or oral surgery or ped or perio, many fresh graduates get into these programs without any gpr or years of experience, right out of dental school. Why Endo makes it hard for dental graduates to get into it? Why do we have to be 100% sure, meanwhile other specialties, dental graduates don't have to be 100% sure by working for years before applying. Is there a reason for this?

2 reasons. Fresh graduates are better prepared for those worlds. Those specialties are based on a good bit of didactic knowledge you get in dental school and not in the real world. Practicing as a GP for several years will get you away from core knowledge you can apply to those specialties. You don’t do sinus lifts, tissues grafting, maxillo-facial surgery, brackets, special needs Pedo patients in your first several years as a GP. You may do implants. But that’s about it. So you aren’t gaining too much by practicing.

2) As a GP you are dealing with endo concepts every day. Diagnosing or trying to diagnose tooth pain. Dealing with proximity to pulp. Understanding caries and microbiomes in caries. You do pulpectomies or pulpotomies to relieve pain. You do endo, whether it’s anterior only or everything. So you are getting comfortable with the concepts. You are getting experience communicating with patients which is important in endo because everyone is scared, nervous, and a lot are tricky to manage. GP world is just much more similar to Endo than the others.

I mean, you don’t have to be 100% sure you want endo to get into Endo. I would just recommend being 100% sure before you try and specialize in anything.

 

[Faefly]

Thank you @nobeldds and @FutureDent020 for your answers, they make sense!