Specializing mid-career

[SugarNaCl]

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I know I'm putting the cart before the horse but my question is more practical in nature than probable. As my story goes, I will have just turned 31 when I graduate from dental school (God willing). My husband is 10 yrs older. I was wondering if it is possible to do a GPR after graduation and start practicing, earn money, pay off some of the debt, start a family etc and then when the time is right (say 7 years post graduation -- at 38 or so) going back to specialize.

I haven't even started dental school yet and have no idea what will interest me but I have observed with a maxillofacial prosthodontist and it seemed like an incredible career, but a 4 yr long residency.

Is it likely at all that you will get placed in a residency (of any sort) that long after graduation? I know with my friends in medicine, the answer is no. I guess I'm hoping dentistry is different.

 

[gryffindor]

Of course you could return to specialize after a career as a GP. But because specialty positions are so limited, are you willing to uproot your family to move to another location for 3 years to pursue your specialty? Or would they stay in their location and you would leave for a few years while you specialize? Especially in a program like maxillofacial prostho where the positions are extremely few. Or you may get lucky and have a program down the street from you that also accepts you, but what if that isn't the case - how much are you willing to let your specialist dreams influence the lifestyle your family will have become accustomed to after 7 years of practicing? Dentists all over the country do it, no doubt, but these are just some of the things to think about.

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

I know I'm putting the cart before the horse but my question is more practical in nature than probable. As my story goes, I will have just turned 31 when I graduate from dental school (God willing). My husband is 10 yrs older. I was wondering if it is possible to do a GPR after graduation and start practicing, earn money, pay off some of the debt, start a family etc and then when the time is right (say 7 years post graduation -- at 38 or so) going back to specialize.

I haven't even started dental school yet and have no idea what will interest me but I have observed with a maxillofacial prosthodontist and it seemed like an incredible career, but a 4 yr long residency.

Is it likely at all that you will get placed in a residency (of any sort) that long after graduation? I know with my friends in medicine, the answer is no. I guess I'm hoping dentistry is different.

If you plan to specialize then you should do it right after graduation. If you have kids or have your own practice, chances are you will not walk away from that and go back to school. When one is used to gettting a steady income, it is almost impossible to have that taken away. I used to mentor high school kids and not a single one I know, again not a single one I know who kept the promise that " I will go back to school after couple years working". DP

 

[SugarNaCl]

Thanks for the information. I agree that after making real money, I may not want to go back for additional training. I guess I'll have to play that one by ear. I've had a decent job for about 3 yrs now and decided to go back to school but I guess I always knew this job would be temporary. I'm sure priorities will change too when I have a family.

Luckily for me, there are a couple of institutions near where I plan on settling that offer prosthodontic and some other residencies that I could at least apply to and see what happens. That is if I'm even interested in the same thing after 4 years of dental school. This thought is a bit premature for now, I agree. I need to get THROUGH dental school first 😉

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

Thanks for the information. I agree that after making real money, I may not want to go back for additional training. I guess I'll have to play that one by ear. I've had a decent job for about 3 yrs now and decided to go back to school but I guess I always knew this job would be temporary. I'm sure priorities will change too when I have a family.

Luckily for me, there are a couple of institutions near where I plan on settling that offer prosthodontic and some other residencies that I could at least apply to and see what happens. That is if I'm even interested in the same thing after 4 years of dental school. This thought is a bit premature for now, I agree. I need to get THROUGH dental school first 😉

That's right. You may find out that after doing some lab work that pros. is not for you. Keep your max. pros ambition in the back burner for now and just enjoy dental school. I hated my first and second year but loved my third and fourth! I even built and flew a radio controlled model airplane during my final year! DP

 

[SugarNaCl]

That's right. You may find out that after doing some lab work that pros. is not for you. Keep your max. pros ambition in the back burner for now and just enjoy dental school. I hated my first and second year but loved my third and fourth! I even built and flew a radio controlled model airplane during my final year! DP

Dr. Phan is awesome! 👍 I have liked the concept of dentistry for a long time, but you really get me excited about this field!