What's so great about the VA programs??

[suhshi]

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Serious question,

but I'm just curious as to why many regard the VA programs as top in the nation?
Is it the clinical experience and skills you come out with? The patient pool? The rare cases?

I'm looking to apply to GPRs and AEGDs soon and I just want to know what I'm getting myself into.

Thanks in advance

 

[J2OS]

Good pay, good patient population (though not very diverse), all treatment is funded thus you can do what is needed not what the patient can afford, and quality instructors.

 

[HupHolland]

Good pay, good patient population (though not very diverse), all treatment is funded thus you can do what is needed not what the patient can afford, and quality instructors.

This is not true across the board..

I agree with just about everything else.

I'll play devil's advocate and tell you the not so good things about the VA that no one mentions:
-typical government BS - if you weren't a republican going into residency, you will be after!
-lazy staff - impossible to get fired!
-lazy dentists, many only see 5-6 patients a day - no incentive to see more patients because they are paid a salary (and impossible to get fired)!
-patients do not see value in treatment because they don't pay
-patients with poor OH who take absolutely no personal responsibility for their dentition demand Cadillac treatment they can't maintain - i.e. implants, crown and bridge

I did my residency at the VA, and while it was a good experience compared to many of my classmates, I found the dental clinic to be the epitome of inefficiency and waste.

hup

 

[TJNova2011]

This is not true across the board..

I agree with just about everything else.

I'll play devil's advocate and tell you the not so good things about the VA that no one mentions:
-typical government BS - if you weren't a republican going into residency, you will be after!
-lazy staff - impossible to get fired!
-lazy dentists, many only see 5-6 patients a day - no incentive to see more patients because they are paid a salary (and impossible to get fired)!
-patients do not see value in treatment because they don't pay
-patients with poor OH who take absolutely no personal responsibility for their dentition demand Cadillac treatment they can't maintain - i.e. implants, crown and bridge

I did my residency at the VA, and while it was a good experience compared to many of my classmates, I found the dental clinic to be the epitome of inefficiency and waste.

hup

Or they will become the barnacle and latch onto the system that rewards inefficiency.