Whats up with all the OMFS interest?

[unlvdmd]

It seems like after board scores came out, the threads dedicated to this have spiked dramatically with no increase in ortho. Dare I say there is a shift back to OMFS as the #1 post-grad residency (competition speaking)?

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[Sommy]

About 30 seconds ago, I was looking at the thread titles and wondering why MOST of them have OMS/OMFS in them. I kinda think that more OMFS people/hopefuls just love posting on forums... seriously.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Last year's match statistics show a decrease in applicants to ortho programs, and an increase in applicants to OMS. There was also an increase in applicants to pedo, which was actually a greater increase than those in OMS. This trend seems to be continuing from what I can tell.

 

[QCkid]

Gavin, where do you get stats on residency applicants.

 

[dentalman]

http://www.natmatch.com/dentres/aplstats.htm

Remember, however, that these are stats provided by "Match". So just because there is a "decrease" in applicants to ortho in these statistics, all we can truly know is that there were less people given interviews that year. Does this also correlate with a decrease in applicants? Perhaps. This is a conclusion that may or may not be true, and would need more extensive research to be validated.

It is also interesting to note (follow a link on that page) that the number of positions offered in Pedo has increased by 25% since 2002, 3% for Ortho, and 12% for OMFS.

 

[vorosvirag]

I have no reason to believe interest in ortho will ever change. Over the last few days/weeks I've thought, "Gee, there is a lot of surg stuff on here." However, I never once thought everyone was heading toward oral surg w/ nobody considering ortho.

Ortho-bound students don't have ?s about internships, externships, board score cutoffs, orbital floor reconstruction, etc. No interships or externships exist for ortho. I take that back. I guess a couple exist (in Florida and TN, right?) And board scores have to be as high as they can. Rarely, someone will get in w/ a "low" score, but I estimate that most matched students have outstanding #s. Simply put, there is no reason to discuss certain things the OMFS folks talk about. Hence, the silence from the ortho community.

We had some discussion about OEC, but that has trailed off. What topics do you guys want to hit? Perhaps everyone has become disinterested in the boring specialty of ortho, after all.

 

[gryffindor]

We had some discussion about OEC, but that has trailed off. What topics do you guys want to hit? Perhaps everyone has become disinterested in the boring specialty of ortho, after all.

How to spend the free time that arises when you finish your last Friday patient of the day at noon?

 

[aphistis]

About 30 seconds ago, I was looking at the thread titles and wondering why MOST of them have OMS/OMFS in them. I kinda think that more OMFS people/hopefuls just love posting on forums... seriously.

Everyone knows OMS is the residency that gives you the most free time. Every day, out the door by 3:30, take the batteries out of the pager, hit the golf course.

 

[ItsGavinC]

http://www.natmatch.com/dentres/aplstats.htm

Remember, however, that these are stats provided by "Match". So just because there is a "decrease" in applicants to ortho in these statistics, all we can truly know is that there were less people given interviews that year.

Good call. It's always important to note that Match stats talk about those given interviews, not total number of applicants (PASS or Match or otherwise).

 

[toofache32]

Everyone knows OMS is the residency that gives you the most free time. Every day, out the door by 3:30, take the batteries out of the pager, hit the golf course.

Hell, I get my drink on starting about noon every day.

 

[IcedOMFS]

Hell, I get my drink on starting about noon every day.

In between OR cases...

 

[aphistis]

Hell, I get my drink on starting about noon every day.

I noticed the beer on your breath tended to agitate your afternoon patients. Calms you right down, though.

 

[vorosvirag]

It seems like after board scores came out, the threads dedicated to this have spiked dramatically with no increase in ortho. Dare I say there is a shift back to OMFS as the #1 post-grad residency (competition speaking)?[/QUOTE]

What sort of historical reference point and criteria are you using to determine which specialty is #1 in terms of competition?

By the way, who cares who is #1 as it relates to competition? I believe one should choose what he/she believes he/she will enjoy the most. In general, competition for a given specialty may be indicative of that specialty's attractiveness. But we should each ponder which specialty (if any, at all) we should pursue and not follow friends or trends into something not fit for us.

So, if you're #1 in your class, scored a 97 on boards, and love Pros, do it. Apply to Pros. Don't do ortho, surg, endo, or pedo. For some reason, however, I don't think many people who love Pros find themselves in this enviable position to choose specialties. But if they do, I hope they would follow their heart.

Since most of you reading this post would never be remotely interested in Pros, follow your heart as it relates to where most of you are likely headed: ortho, surg, endo, or pedo. Don't worry about which specialty is "#1" or whatever others say about it.

 

[aphistis]

By the way, who cares who is #1 as it relates to competition?

About 98% of pre-dental students.

 

[unlvdmd]

It seems like after board scores came out, the threads dedicated to this have spiked dramatically with no increase in ortho. Dare I say there is a shift back to OMFS as the #1 post-grad residency (competition speaking)?[/QUOTE]

What sort of historical reference point and criteria are you using to determine which specialty is #1 in terms of competition?

By the way, who cares who is #1 as it relates to competition? I believe one should choose what he/she believes he/she will enjoy the most. In general, competition for a given specialty may be indicative of that specialty's attractiveness. But we should each ponder which specialty (if any, at all) we should pursue and not follow friends or trends into something not fit for us.

So, if you're #1 in your class, scored a 97 on boards, and love Pros, do it. Apply to Pros. Don't do ortho, surg, endo, or pedo. For some reason, however, I don't think many people who love Pros find themselves in this enviable position to choose specialties. But if they do, I hope they would follow their heart.

Since most of you reading this post would never be remotely interested in Pros, follow your heart as it relates to where most of you are likely headed: ortho, surg, endo, or pedo. Don't worry about which specialty is "#1" or whatever others say about it.

Buzzkill.
You're not telling us anything we don't know.

 

[vorosvirag]

I'm most interested in your statements about #1 stuff. You brought it up to start the thread. Please answer my ?s. I repeat, how do you know who (which specialty) is #1? Is it from overall PASS application #s, average class rank or board scores per applicant? I know little about this history (a shift back to OMFS) you speak of.

I still argue that it doesn't matter to me. If I were a predent I would want to know which are the top few specialties and hear why. Then, I'd form my opinion (w/ time and experience) and move forward.

The predents are intelligent enough to know that there is no single #1 dental school for everybody. The same can be said for dental specialties. I've seen students faint in oral surgery, get claustrophobic in endo and perf, and be bored to tears observing in ortho. Stats don't determine which specialty is #1--you do.

It's easy for you to get this, UNLVDMD, but many younger colleagues of yours and the predents have little experience. That is why I feel a #1 designation is helpful, but I always appreciate ranges and an explanation.

 

[vorosvirag]

It seems like after board scores came out, the threads dedicated to this have spiked dramatically with no increase in ortho. Dare I say there is a shift back to OMFS as the #1 post-grad residency (competition speaking)?

Let's suppose surg has overtaken ortho in your rankings (however they're determined). On one hand, as a surg applicant this is wonderful news. I'm applying to the "most-competitive" specialty. Yippee!! Yet, on the other hand, this is not welcome news. In such a situation, now even some of the best surg applicants may not match due to such immense competition. OMFS program directors would love this increased competition, since they can now pick from an elevated pool.

Not matching despite strong credentials happens in ortho every year. The competition is insane. As I mentioned before, some of my friends didn't match the first year, despite incredible #s and personalities.

It is good for bragging rights, I guess, to say you're the #1 specialty. But it makes for a more painful process to get in. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[gryffindor]

The predents are intelligent enough to know that there is no single #1 dental school for everybody.

I wouldn't give them so much credit. They ask all the time "which school is ranked #1? I can't decide where to go so I wish there were rankings to help me figure it out."

 

[unlvdmd]

I repeat, how do you know who (which specialty) is #1?

I repeat, Buzzkill.
But since you are so inclined to figure this out, I apologize in advance to the others who are bored stiff with this conversation of having to even explain this.

There is an observation, not from double blind studies or random clinical trials, but from sheer discussion that OS up until about 5-6 or so years ago was fierce when it comes to getting in. Those last 5-6 (OR SO) years ago it has been that way with ortho. I state this because it has been said many times in THIS forum. Note, I never said either of the two was easy to get into. So put your pocket protector away and chill. Not everything requires a Ti-90.

 

[unlvdmd]

I wouldn't give them so much credit. They ask all the time "which school is ranked #1? I can't decide where to go so I wish there were rankings to help me figure it out."

Thanks for saving me the typing.

 

[vorosvirag]

I repeat, Buzzkill.
But since you are so inclined to figure this out, I apologize in advance to the others who are bored stiff with this conversation of having to even explain this.

There is an observation, not from double blind studies or random clinical trials, but from sheer discussion that OS up until about 5-6 or so years ago was fierce when it comes to getting in. Those last 5-6 (OR SO) years ago it has been that way with ortho. I state this because it has been said many times in THIS forum. Note, I never said either of the two was easy to get into. So put your pocket protector away and chill. Not everything requires a Ti-90.

Buzzkill back w/ his Ti-90. If you had explained earlier your initial comments were from observation alone, we could have saved your recent exasperation and boredom. I have only been w/ SDN a little while (not 407 posts' worth of time). I still am a SDN newbie who needed you to educate me relative to the sheer discussion that took place in THIS forum. You dodged my inquiry and then mocked my responses.

Furthermore, I should sell you my Ti-90 along w/ an alarm clock and a pager (possibly other electronic items) to make sure you arise on time for rounds and don't stray too far from the hospital.

 

[TiggerJSA]

Buzzkill back w/ his Ti-90. If you had explained earlier your initial comments were from observation alone, we could have saved your recent exasperation and boredom. I have only been w/ SDN a little while (not 407 posts' worth of time). I still am a SDN newbie who needed you to educate me relative to the sheer discussion that took place in THIS forum. You dodged my inquiry and then mocked my responses.

Furthermore, I should sell you my Ti-90 along w/ an alarm clock and a pager (possibly other electronic items) to make sure you arise on time for rounds and don't stray too far from the hospital.

Listening to you 2 is as boring as watching gnats f#ck Take it to the PM