Will I have a better chance at OMFS in the military?

[dentalnoob8]

I'm thinking of applying to a 3 year HPSP scholarship since I am set on wanting to do OS, but my GPA after 1 year of school isn't very good. However, I'm taking the CBSE later this year and I have good hopes of doing decently well (predicting from my practice scores). My question is whether civilian residencies will overlook a poor GPA (between 3.0 and 3.5) for a good CBSE score? I looked on some threads that said there are better odds getting accepted in the military, so I was curious about that route.

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[teeth!]

Only a D1 too but GPA is so different at every school. I know my school a 3.7 is like the top 10%, 3.5 is the top 25%! I definitely can't answer your question but could help someone answer it

 

[carabelliscusp]

Only a D1 too but GPA is so different at every school. I know my school a 3.7 is like the top 10%, 3.5 is the top 25%! I definitely can't answer your question but could help someone answer it

Crazy 3.5 is like 60th percentile for us

 

[dratc]

What is your actual gpa now and what percentile does it put you in? …I generally agree with the saying that an awesome cbse score will make up for most things, but nothing can make up for a poor cbse score. Regardless of what you choose, commit to having the best gpa possible going forward and shooting for a cbse score >75 (old scale), and you should be in a good position to get interviews.

 

[LFA20]

I'm thinking of applying to a 3 year HPSP scholarship since I am set on wanting to do OS, but my GPA after 1 year of school isn't very good. However, I'm taking the CBSE later this year and I have good hopes of doing decently well (predicting from my practice scores). My question is whether civilian residencies will overlook a poor GPA (between 3.0 and 3.5) for a good CBSE score? I looked on some threads that said there are better odds getting accepted in the military, so I was curious about that route.

You still have 3 years to raise your GPA/Rank. But yes generally speaking military OMFS is easier to match into due to their high needs for them

 

[dentalnoob8]

What is your actual gpa now and what percentile does it put you in? …I generally agree with the saying that an awesome cbse score will make up for most things, but nothing can make up for a poor cbse score. Regardless of what you choose, commit to having the best gpa possible going forward and shooting for a cbse score >75 (old scale), and you should be in a good position to get interviews.

I have a 3.2 rn, yeah it's pretty low...not sure about rank though

 

[Nostalgia_Night]

your tie to the military such as prior service, you get O-6 and above for LoR. Those are way more important than your 3.9 GPA

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

If your whole motivation for doing HPSP is to do OS I would heavily rethink your plan.
I enjoy military dentistry, and am planning on sticking around, but it is definitely not for everyone. Doing the HPSP and OS is going to put you in the mil for at least 9 years, maybe more depending on a few factors. Make sure you’re ok with that if this is really the route you choose to pursue.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Yes. Way better chance. The military (at least Army) tends to have a difficult time filling their spots.

 

[The Kube of Kubes]

Yes. Way better chance. The military (at least Army) tends to have a difficult time filling their spots.

Not necessarily true anymore with regards the vacant spots. The Army is allowing civilians to apply to their programs now with the goal to fully participate in the match within the next four years.-One of the program directors from a military OMFS residency.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Not necessarily true anymore with regards the vacant spots. The Army is allowing civilians to apply to their programs now with the goal to fully participate in the match within the next four years.-One of the program directors from a military OMFS residency.

I hope this is the case. With the way it currently stands, I had classmates in dental school get preliminarily accepted with no CBSE scores. They just needed to score better than a 50 to officially get accepted which is pretty crazy for such a competitive field.

 

[dentalnoob8]

Not necessarily true anymore with regards the vacant spots. The Army is allowing civilians to apply to their programs now with the goal to fully participate in the match within the next four years.-One of the program directors from a military OMFS residency.

So once civilians can apply, it will be more competitive? I'm applying in 2 years, so I'm wondering if this affects me? If I were to do an externship at a military OMFS residency, would that give me the edge over civilian counterparts? Since most of them would be applying very broadly and not focusing on military residencies.

 

[D1Bound]

Not necessarily true anymore with regards the vacant spots. The Army is allowing civilians to apply to their programs now with the goal to fully participate in the match within the next four years.-One of the program directors from a military OMFS residency.

I was also told that “civilians are applying,” but I don’t know how many that actually means. Is it 1-2 people that have tried to direct commission and then apply? Or is it 10s of people asking about the possibility? I have heard nothing about the Army participating in the match, but that would be a hard sell for most people unless there was student loan repayment on the table.

 

[The Kube of Kubes]

I hope this is the case. With the way it currently stands, I had classmates in dental school get preliminarily accepted with no CBSE scores. They just needed to score better than a 50 to officially get accepted which is pretty crazy for such a competitive field.

Yea that’s what he told me, that their spots were vacant only because they didn’t have enough quality applicants to fill them. I think the days are over that the Army just fills their spots just to fill them.

 

[The Kube of Kubes]

So once civilians can apply, it will be more competitive? I'm applying in 2 years, so I'm wondering if this affects me? If I were to do an externship at a military OMFS residency, would that give me the edge over civilian counterparts? Since most of them would be applying very broadly and not focusing on military residencies.

You 100% will have an edge over civilians from what I’ve heard, but I don’t think it’s a guaranteed 50 CBSE and you’re in anymore. They’re looking for more competitive applicants I guess, which is why they are opening it up to civilians. But yea I agree, still a better shot since most civilians applying probably are applying broadly, it just means their are more applicants now.

 

[The Kube of Kubes]

I was also told that “civilians are applying,” but I don’t know how many that actually means. Is it 1-2 people that have tried to direct commission and then apply? Or is it 10s of people asking about the possibility? I have heard nothing about the Army participating in the match, but that would be a hard sell for most people unless there was student loan repayment on the table.

I don’t have the numbers and I’m not sure I could get them since it was like pulling teeth to even get this information. Those would be good questions to ask a program director. I can’t do it because I feel like I’ve already asked too many questions and that I’d start to bug the guy if I asked any more haha

 

[D1Bound]

I don’t have the numbers and I’m not sure I could get them since it was like pulling teeth to even get this information. Those would be good questions to ask a program director. I can’t do it because I feel like I’ve already asked too many questions and that I’d start to bug the guy if I asked any more haha

Only the program in San Antonio will participate in Match.

 

[yappy]

Only the program in San Antonio will participate in Match.

weird that a military program would accept civilians; few people qualify for military service because of health, psychological, and legal issues.

 

[dentalnoob8]

Only the program in San Antonio will participate in Match.

Does this mean only the San Antonio program will take civilians? Or is every program going to start taking applications from civilians?

 

[D1Bound]

Does this mean only the San Antonio program will take civilians? Or is every program going to start taking applications from civilians?

Only SA

 

[D1Bound]

weird that a military program would accept civilians; few people qualify for military service because of health, psychological, and legal issues.

It may be that they will become a sort of civilian contractor. I have no idea how this will work but I am interested to see