"Med school rejects"

[Iain]

itimebomb2, I think you will relate to this quote:

 

"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated."

 

- Oscar Wilde

 

To the OP, it is an unfortunate stigma associated with the dental profession, but I wouldn't let it bother you. This reminds me of when I was in my first year engineering. I had no idea how much work it took to get into Dental school, let alone become a dentist. One day my dentist asked me about school, I told him I was in engineering, and he made a remark along the lines "I hear engineering is really hard" in a "good for you" sort of way. He didn't say anything about dental school at the time, and now that I look back I see that he was being really humble. My point is, most people don't realize how much dedication and work it takes to succeed in medicine, dentistry or any sought after profession. And in reality, they probably don't care. If you increase their quality of life they will appreciate it, regardless of their or other peoples' misconceptions of dentists being "med school rejects".

[koft]

the trend in hospital CEOs is moving more towards MDs, not away from it. furthermore, there is about one hospital CEO for several hundred doctors in a given hospital. Average out the CEO's income with all the middle management people who are not the CEO and you get a number that is far below what an MD makes.

 

You are agreeing with my comment! At the moment, most CEOs are non-MD, but there is a trend moving back towards it, with MBA/MD program and etc. I never said middle management command a better salary than MD, DDS or Vets.

 

My point has always been all the above careers will give you a comfortable living, unless you live beyond your means. But they will never be the top 0.5% of the earnings in the world! As for label as a reject, there will always be ignorant people that say things that does not go through the cerebrum. Just look at the Montreal Gazette on Diversity in Medical school article and read the comments section you will have a real laugh at stupidity of the general public.

 

As long as you are comfortable with your career choice, you don't need to care what other think!

________

Buy Extreme Q

[itimebomb2]

itimebomb2, I think you will relate to this quote:

 

"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated."

 

- Oscar Wilde

 

To the OP, it is an unfortunate stigma associated with the dental profession, but I wouldn't let it bother you. This reminds me of when I was in my first year engineering. I had no idea how much work it took to get into Dental school, let alone become a dentist. One day my dentist asked me about school, I told him I was in engineering, and he made a remark along the lines "I hear engineering is really hard" in a "good for you" sort of way. He didn't say anything about dental school at the time, and now that I look back I see that he was being really humble. My point is, most people don't realize how much dedication and work it takes to succeed in medicine, dentistry or any sought after profession. And in reality, they probably don't care. If you increase their quality of life they will appreciate it, regardless of their or other peoples' misconceptions of dentists being "med school rejects".

 

lol thanks for the quote. read my posts more carefully and you may find that im the last person to try to tell anyone that im better than them because im a doctor. im just saying what the general public perception is.

 

i firmly believe that a life of humility is the most dignified path a person can take. if i could take away the money/prestige from being a doctor, i would!

 

the point im making is the same as yours - medicine is more prestigious than dentistry. period. but who cares? just accept it and be happy with what youre doing despite that.

[schalker_24]

you pretty much just reiterated what I said... but somehow made it look like you disagree with me. Again, you'll get the recognition for working hard/saving lives as an MD, and you'll get money/lifestyle as a dentist.

 

Bottom line, medicine is harder to get into in general, and much harder work when you get in (not to mention much longer). My roommate is a dental student (dentistry was his first choice), and I'm a premed. He tells me lots about dentistry and we both agree that dentistry is way easier to get into and to complete. It is also much more lucrative in the end, in general.

 

The argument that the odd dentist might save a person from endocarditis is just plain idiotic. it is one single affliction - the most common in dentistry - and it is actually more common in people who floss a lot, meaning if dentists didnt exist, fewer people would get oral endocarditis. Any given social worker, or perhaps a school teacher, holds more power over life/death than a DDS.

 

At the University of Alberta, the average dental student accepted has an overall GPA of 3.85 and a Prereq GPA of 3.83 where as the average fourth year med student was accepted with a overall GPA of 3.80 and a Prereq GPA of 3.77. Also there were 172 spots for med with 1184 applicants (14.5% acceptance) where as dentistry had 35 spots for 347 applicants (10.1% acceptance). Because of those stats I'm confused as to why you think that med is more difficult to get into. I wish that dentistry looked more at volunteer work and extracurricular like med because if they did then I would be in great shape to get in. I'm not trying to say that dentistry is harder to get into then med, I just think that your statement about how dentistry is easier to get into than med is unsupported by the facts.

 

Also, once you get into U of A Dentistry, you then complete the exact same curriculum as med students for the first two years completing dentistry classes in the spring/summer (so I'm told... anyone correct me if I'm wrong). So while med students are out of school and working, dentistry students are spending their spring/early summer learning about dentistry. So any U of A dentist will be at the same level of knowledge as any second year med student, plus they will have knowledge of dentistry. I'd say that those dent students are working just as hard as any med students. But what do I know? Apparently I'm just a lazy dentist wanna be.

[Dr Pepper]

seriously at least in Canada, if u don't have marks...dentistry is harder for sure...u ll never get in unless ur avg is at least like 85+ but u do see these sometimes for med, and very often for IP pool for non ontario meds like U of Calgary. Heck, I think I saw someone gettin in with like 3.3 cGPA.

 

So if u have a 4.0...u ll likely get in somewhere for dentistry whereas its not a guarantee for meds. If u have like 3.5, then u better have some good ECs and should have better chance of gettin into med or should just apply to states

[itimebomb2]

At the University of Alberta, the average dental student accepted has an overall GPA of 3.85 and a Prereq GPA of 3.83 where as the average fourth year med student was accepted with a overall GPA of 3.80 and a Prereq GPA of 3.77. Also there were 172 spots for med with 1184 applicants (14.5% acceptance) where as dentistry had 35 spots for 347 applicants (10.1% acceptance). Because of those stats I'm confused as to why you think that med is more difficult to get into. I wish that dentistry looked more at volunteer work and extracurricular like med because if they did then I would be in great shape to get in. I'm not trying to say that dentistry is harder to get into then med, I just think that your statement about how dentistry is easier to get into than med is unsupported by the facts.

 

Also, once you get into U of A Dentistry, you then complete the exact same curriculum as med students for the first two years completing dentistry classes in the spring/summer (so I'm told... anyone correct me if I'm wrong). So while med students are out of school and working, dentistry students are spending their spring/early summer learning about dentistry. So any U of A dentist will be at the same level of knowledge as any second year med student, plus they will have knowledge of dentistry. I'd say that those dent students are working just as hard as any med students. But what do I know? Apparently I'm just a lazy dentist wanna be.

 

thats interesting. but for your information, U of A is one of the least desirable medical schools in the country. Furthermore, the fact that pre-dent students have high GPAs was always known, since it is pretty much the only admissions criteria for dentistry, whereas premeds must compete in a whole host of dimensions (volunteer work, research experience, medically related stuff etc etc).

 

Its fantastic that a 2nd year dent = 2nd year med. but hell, a lot of undergrads will teach you most of what you learn in a year or two of medicine. how inane of you to bring up the fact that dental students spend two/three months learning about dentistry compared to med students who "do nothing" during their summer break, when the obvious difference is that med students endure painstaking clerkships that make classroom learning look like a walk in the park, followed by two to eight years of graduate medical training which makes even clerkship look silly.

 

what a pointless comparison.

[jayeeee]

The reason of thr separation of dentistry from medicine (as opposed to surgery, which is considered to be a part of medicine), is purely historical. Dentistry evolved from the profession or barbers, a lesser trained form of barber-surgeon that is the modern day medical surgeon. The medical science and intricacies of dentistry were not know until the late 19th century, which is why dentistry as a career evolved separately than medicine. It is interestng to note that the first true "dentist" (French guy, forgot his name) was actually a trained physician. So denistry as a field of study is fairly recent, compared to medicine.

 

Tangibly, it would make more sense to compare dentistry to a subspecialzation of medicine, than to medicine itself. The scope of practice is highly specialized, like a medical specialist, and they are self-regulated, like medical specialists. Personally, I consider dentistry (the practice, and not the degree) to be like a surgical subspecialty of medicine that doesn't need the medical degree.

 

The degree is just that... A degree. It doesn't in of itself allow for someone to expand the scope of their practice over something they are not trained for. In the end, you are what you do - oral surgery, eye surgery, general medicine, pathologist, etc. You are NOT just a degree. Case in point - oral and maxilofacial surgeons on rotation in general sug and plastics electives, doing oral-facial reconstruction of the mandible and maxillary along with ENTs and plastic surgeons. Even dentists administering botox is an example of your practice being a reflection of what you want to do, and not just your degree.

[alphacow]

The reason of thr separation of dentistry from medicine (as opposed to surgery, which is considered to be a part of medicine), is purely historical. Dentistry evolved from the profession or barbers, a lesser trained form of barber-surgeon that is the modern day medical surgeon. The medical science and intricacies of dentistry were not know until the late 19th century, which is why dentistry as a career evolved separately than medicine. It is interestng to note that the first true "dentist" (French guy, forgot his name) was actually a trained physician. So denistry as a field of study is fairly recent, compared to medicine.

 

Tangibly, it would make more sense to compare dentistry to a subspecialzation of medicine, than to medicine itself. The scope of practice is highly specialized, like a medical specialist, and they are self-regulated, like medical specialists. Personally, I consider dentistry (the practice, and not the degree) to be like a surgical subspecialty of medicine that doesn't need the medical degree.

 

The degree is just that... A degree. It doesn't in of itself allow for someone to expand the scope of their practice over something they are not trained for. In the end, you are what you do - oral surgery, eye surgery, general medicine, pathologist, etc. You are NOT just a degree. Case in point - oral and maxilofacial surgeons on rotation in general sug and plastics electives, doing oral-facial reconstruction of the mandible and maxillary along with ENTs and plastic surgeons. Even dentists administering botox is an example of your practice being a reflection of what you want to do, and not just your degree.

 

 

Great post! It is true that surgeons evolved from barber-surgeons, that's why surgeons in the UK are traditionally referred to as "Misters" and not doctors. Fun fact =)

[thebouque]

thats interesting. but for your information, U of A is one of the least desirable medical schools in the country. Furthermore, the fact that pre-dent students have high GPAs was always known, since it is pretty much the only admissions criteria for dentistry, whereas premeds must compete in a whole host of dimensions (volunteer work, research experience, medically related stuff etc etc).

 

Its fantastic that a 2nd year dent = 2nd year med. but hell, a lot of undergrads will teach you most of what you learn in a year or two of medicine. how inane of you to bring up the fact that dental students spend two/three months learning about dentistry compared to med students who "do nothing" during their summer break, when the obvious difference is that med students endure painstaking clerkships that make classroom learning look like a walk in the park, followed by two to eight years of graduate medical training which makes even clerkship look silly.

 

what a pointless comparison.

 

There's a clerkship in dentistry as well (2 years); you make it sound as if there's none.

 

Dental school is really hard but it's shorter than medical school. It's usually slightly easier to get into dent than into med (I'm emphasizing on the words usually and slightly here).

 

Also, to the poster who was comparing OMFS to fam med: keep in mind that 90% of OMFS spend 90% of their time doing 3rd molar extractions and implants. It's quite far from your so called ''cool'' surgery (I guess you were referring to orthognatic Lefort surgeries).

 

Peace

[powerpenguin]

lol thanks for the quote. read my posts more carefully and you may find that im the last person to try to tell anyone that im better than them because im a doctor. im just saying what the general public perception is.

 

i firmly believe that a life of humility is the most dignified path a person can take. if i could take away the money/prestige from being a doctor, i would!

 

the point im making is the same as yours - medicine is more prestigious than dentistry. period. but who cares? just accept it and be happy with what youre doing despite that.

 

Sorry itimebomb2, but I seriously hope that someone like you never gets through that interview stage to become a doctor.

 

You speak of being humble, and yet you trample over thousands of people's achievements by making fun of the University of Alberta's medical school. I guess all the students currently studying medicine at U of A are glad to hear that YOU think that their (possibly) greatest achievement is nothing because they go to the "least desirable medical school"? Let's see you get in first before you start talking. You don't want to save lives, you want the prestige and money of being a doctor. Maybe you're trying to hide it, but everyone here is probably smart enough to see your arrogant attitude through your posts. This isn't about whether dentists or doctors have more prestige, this is you being an *******. Your post here is completely undermined by everything else you have said in other posts.

 

Hopefully your future interviewers see through your weak facade.

 

On another topic, I would like to note that some of the most sought after specialties, such as dermatology, don't have that much to do with saving lives (yeah yeah, maybe skin cancer, but then you're referred to an oncologist). Instead, they're sought after because of the lifestyle that being a dermatologist gives (less hours, high pay)- wow, that kind of sounds like being a dentist/ortho... People have their priorities. End of story.

[dentshopeful]

Sorry itimebomb2, but I seriously hope that someone like you never gets through that interview stage to become a doctor.

 

You speak of being humble, and yet you trample over thousands of people's achievements by making fun of the University of Alberta's medical school. I guess all the students currently studying medicine at U of A are glad to hear that YOU think that their (possibly) greatest achievement is nothing because they go to the "least desirable medical school"? Let's see you get in first before you start talking. You don't want to save lives, you want the prestige and money of being a doctor. Maybe you're trying to hide it, but everyone here is probably smart enough to see your arrogant attitude through your posts. This isn't about whether dentists or doctors have more prestige, this is you being an *******. Your post here is completely undermined by everything else you have said in other posts.

 

Hopefully your future interviewers see through your weak facade.

 

On another topic, I would like to note that some of the most sought after specialties, such as dermatology, don't have that much to do with saving lives (yeah yeah, maybe skin cancer, but then you're referred to an oncologist). Instead, they're sought after because of the lifestyle that being a dermatologist gives (less hours, high pay)- wow, that kind of sounds like being a dentist/ortho... People have their priorities. End of story.

 

I don't know why this thread is still being updated, but in reference to your comment re dermatology and saving lives and skin cancer, all I have to say is that you have to see that seinfeld episode when jerry dates a dermatologist.

[thebouque]

Sorry itimebomb2, but I seriously hope that someone like you never gets through that interview stage to become a doctor.

 

You speak of being humble, and yet you trample over thousands of people's achievements by making fun of the University of Alberta's medical school. I guess all the students currently studying medicine at U of A are glad to hear that YOU think that their (possibly) greatest achievement is nothing because they go to the "least desirable medical school"? Let's see you get in first before you start talking. You don't want to save lives, you want the prestige and money of being a doctor. Maybe you're trying to hide it, but everyone here is probably smart enough to see your arrogant attitude through your posts. This isn't about whether dentists or doctors have more prestige, this is you being an *******. Your post here is completely undermined by everything else you have said in other posts.

 

Hopefully your future interviewers see through your weak facade.

 

On another topic, I would like to note that some of the most sought after specialties, such as dermatology, don't have that much to do with saving lives (yeah yeah, maybe skin cancer, but then you're referred to an oncologist). Instead, they're sought after because of the lifestyle that being a dermatologist gives (less hours, high pay)- wow, that kind of sounds like being a dentist/ortho... People have their priorities. End of story.

 

 

You 're 100% right on this one. Trust me it's not the first ignorant and arrogant comment that Itimibomb has posted on this forum (I'm sure many people can concur).

[Guest success100]

This thread is getting out of hand. In Canada, dentistry is just as challenging to get into as medicine (grades wise). UWO's avg last yr was an 89 or so, and U of T's avg gpa was a 3.83 and a 3.91 the year before. We cannot argue the statistics.

 

Personally, I agree with you on the ortho/OMFS. I have been told by many people that OMFS command a lot of respect, and I have always felt this way as well, they do some really cool and challenging work (vs. being a fam doc who prescribes and refers and does diagnosing here and there). I was having a conversation with a head and neck surgery resident and he was just like yeah those guys do amazing work, get paid a lot etc, which definitely surprised me as OMFS seems to have a big reputation amongst the medical community as well.

 

OMFS is extremely competitive to get into and personally they do deserve more respect than a family doctor (for those of you out there craving respect that is). Ortho is also a very hard specialty to get into. I was speaking with a grad student back in september, and we were talking about what we wanted to do w/ life etc. He had been waitlisted at UWO last yr for Dentistry, and said his dream was to become an orthodontist, but due to the fact that it is so difficult to get (top 5% of your DDS Class), he is going to be applying to medicine instead (I'm sure that made a few pre meds squirm, shocked me a bit too at the time).

 

Although dentists may not get the "respect" compared to doctors, they are fairly equivalent careers. Dentistry is a subspecialty of medicine, and is seen like this at many schools (both columbia and UBC have med/dents classes together for the first 2 yrs). Doctors will always be seen with more respect, and thats fine. Dentistry will always be seen as a lifestyle career, and that is fine too. I for one do have a lot of respect for some physicians: they put their heart, soul and life into what they are doing, and that is something that I could never sacrifice.

 

Personally however, I think that dentistry is a harder job than Family Meds, but amongst other specialties in medicine, there are much much much harder specialties in medicine than general dentistry.

 

Agreed,anyways,real respect for Doctors(dent or med) does not exist anymore,just check EM Doctors at hospital,they get dissed at by every patient because they waited hours or being asked retarded questions by junior residents...Most specialists tend to work over time and trust me,as days pass,you won't give a dirty **** about your prestige,you won't even care...You might think about it as a Family med,because it's a lot more relax,but for other specialists,you won't feel anything "special".

I'm speaking about both Dent/Med students...So yeah,it's good to ask yourself how much you will get "respected" after graduation,but afterwards,it doesn't matter,so just take what you like most.

 

If you want a quick example,just look at pharmacists,90% of people think you're here to count pills and don't care about your suggestions,still,their lifestyle is nothing to worry about.

 

All Pharm/Med/Dent are good professions,with pros and cons,you will never worry about your income,so just go for what you like most.

[sfinch]

thats interesting. but for your information, U of A is one of the least desirable medical schools in the country. Furthermore, the fact that pre-dent students have high GPAs was always known, since it is pretty much the only admissions criteria for dentistry, whereas premeds must compete in a whole host of dimensions (volunteer work, research experience, medically related stuff etc etc).

 

Its fantastic that a 2nd year dent = 2nd year med. but hell, a lot of undergrads will teach you most of what you learn in a year or two of medicine. how inane of you to bring up the fact that dental students spend two/three months learning about dentistry compared to med students who "do nothing" during their summer break, when the obvious difference is that med students endure painstaking clerkships that make classroom learning look like a walk in the park, followed by two to eight years of graduate medical training which makes even clerkship look silly.

 

what a pointless comparison.

 

itimebomb is a funny person - he's a health sci, and I do believe I know who he is. At least from an acquaintance at mac.

 

He hates moslems, wants everyone to convert to christianity, gloats over non meds people like he is some god, and is a real jerk overall. A guy after my own heart some here would argue ;-)

[schalker_24]

Sorry itimebomb2, but I seriously hope that someone like you never gets through that interview stage to become a doctor.

 

You speak of being humble, and yet you trample over thousands of people's achievements by making fun of the University of Alberta's medical school. I guess all the students currently studying medicine at U of A are glad to hear that YOU think that their (possibly) greatest achievement is nothing because they go to the "least desirable medical school"? Let's see you get in first before you start talking. You don't want to save lives, you want the prestige and money of being a doctor. Maybe you're trying to hide it, but everyone here is probably smart enough to see your arrogant attitude through your posts. This isn't about whether dentists or doctors have more prestige, this is you being an *******. Your post here is completely undermined by everything else you have said in other posts.

 

Hopefully your future interviewers see through your weak facade.

 

On another topic, I would like to note that some of the most sought after specialties, such as dermatology, don't have that much to do with saving lives (yeah yeah, maybe skin cancer, but then you're referred to an oncologist). Instead, they're sought after because of the lifestyle that being a dermatologist gives (less hours, high pay)- wow, that kind of sounds like being a dentist/ortho... People have their priorities. End of story.

 

 

I agree with you powerpenguin. Humility isn't gauged based on how you perceive yourself, but by those around you. "Least desirable medical school"- I hope that he gets an interview at U of A, they find out who he is and they pull up his post on that and ask the question: "Why should we allow you into our school since all you do is insult us?" Get the reject stamp ready.

[schalker_24]

thats interesting. but for your information, U of A is one of the least desirable medical schools in the country. Furthermore, the fact that pre-dent students have high GPAs was always known, since it is pretty much the only admissions criteria for dentistry, whereas premeds must compete in a whole host of dimensions (volunteer work, research experience, medically related stuff etc etc).

 

Its fantastic that a 2nd year dent = 2nd year med. but hell, a lot of undergrads will teach you most of what you learn in a year or two of medicine. how inane of you to bring up the fact that dental students spend two/three months learning about dentistry compared to med students who "do nothing" during their summer break, when the obvious difference is that med students endure painstaking clerkships that make classroom learning look like a walk in the park, followed by two to eight years of graduate medical training which makes even clerkship look silly.

 

what a pointless comparison.

 

Don't fabricate quotes. I said, "So while med students are out of school and working, dentistry students are spending their spring/early summer learning about dentistry...I'd say that those dent students are working just as hard as any med students." I didn't say that med students were "do[ing] nothing" and I didn't take away from the hard work of doctors in the slightest (at least I didn't intend to). My point was that those U of A "dent students are working just as hard as any med students" in terms of sheer work within the first two years not that med students "do nothing".

 

Why don't you go back to the med side of premed 101 (if they want you after you insult their schools) because I think you're overstaying your welcome in the dentistry forum.

[thebouque]

Don't fabricate quotes. I said, "So while med students are out of school and working, dentistry students are spending their spring/early summer learning about dentistry...I'd say that those dent students are working just as hard as any med students." I didn't say that med students were "do[ing] nothing" and I didn't take away from the hard work of doctors in the slightest (at least I didn't intend to). My point was that those U of A "dent students are working just as hard as any med students" in terms of sheer work within the first two years not that med students "do nothing".

 

Why don't you go back to the med side of premed 101 (if they want you after you insult their schools) because I think you're overstaying your welcome in the dentistry forum.

 

He's overstaying his welcome in the med forum too lol

[alphacow]

There's a clerkship in dentistry as well (2 years); you make it sound as if there's none.

 

Dental school is really hard but it's shorter than medical school. It's usually slightly easier to get into dent than into med (I'm emphasizing on the words usually and slightly here).

 

Also, to the poster who was comparing OMFS to fam med: keep in mind that 90% of OMFS spend 90% of their time doing 3rd molar extractions and implants. It's quite far from your so called ''cool'' surgery (I guess you were referring to orthognatic Lefort surgeries).

 

Peace

 

There's 2 OMFS programs, the 4 years masters program, and the 6 year DMD/MD program. Although both graduates go through surgical residencies, only the 6 year program require the students to complete 2 years of medical school (hence the MD). Both set of graduates are trained not just to pull 3rd molars, but also extensively in orthognathic sugery, trauma surgery(actually, most OMFS have to deal with this if they choose to work in the hospital. Who do you think reconstructs the jaws/facial bones or people who were in accidents?), and facial reconstruction.

 

The only reason that most OMFS chooses to do mainly 3rd molar extractions is the lifestyle of private practice, and of course the pay. ALL OMFS are trained extensively in other surgical procedures. My OMFS told me that he could bill more pulling a full set of whizzies than he could bill if he reconstructed a trauma patient's mandible. Many of the trauma patients in the hospital were in fights and are often uncooperative. This adds on the the stress of the OMFS dealing with them. To do major surgeries, the OMFS would have to work in the hospital and be on-call.

 

The main point is, many OMFS do mainly 3rd molar extractions and orthognathic surgeries because they enjoy the 9-5 lifestyle private practice offers, NOT because they are incompetent to carry out major surgical procedures.

[thebouque]

There's 2 OMFS programs, the 4 years masters program, and the 6 year DMD/MD program. Although both graduates go through surgical residencies, only the 6 year program require the students to complete 2 years of medical school (hence the MD). Both set of graduates are trained not just to pull 3rd molars, but also extensively in orthognathic sugery, trauma surgery(actually, most OMFS have to deal with this if they choose to work in the hospital. Who do you think reconstructs the jaws/facial bones or people who were in accidents?), and facial reconstruction.

 

The only reason that most OMFS chooses to do mainly 3rd molar extractions is the lifestyle of private practice, and of course the pay. ALL OMFS are trained extensively in other surgical procedures. My OMFS told me that he could bill more pulling a full set of whizzies than he could bill if he reconstructed a trauma patient's mandible. Many of the trauma patients in the hospital were in fights and are often uncooperative. This adds on the the stress of the OMFS dealing with them. To do major surgeries, the OMFS would have to work in the hospital and be on-call.

 

The main point is, many OMFS do mainly 3rd molar extractions and orthognathic surgeries because they enjoy the 9-5 lifestyle private practice offers, NOT because they are incompetent to carry out major surgical procedures.

 

You are very right when you are saying that they are comptent to carry out procedures more advanced than extractions . However, those more advanced surgeries are too uncommon to be the bread and butter of OMFS, that's why they spend most of their time doing 3rd molars extractions. There is also a difference between the md (6 years) and the non md (4 years): this difference is the possibility for md omfs to be accepted into fellowships that are not available to non md omfs (For example there is a fellowship in the States that deals with head and neck oncology, a field of ENT). Therefore, OMFS are able to perform major surgeries. However, before getting into that field, one should be aware that those procedures are not the bread and butter of the profession. 3rd molars are to OMFS what appendectomies are to some general surgeons who did not pursue a fellowship.

 

Peace

[koft]

You are very right when you are saying that they are comptent to carry out procedures more advanced than extractions . However, those more advanced surgeries are too uncommon to be the bread and butter of OMFS, that's why they spend most of their time doing 3rd molars extractions. There is also a difference between the md (6 years) and the non md (4 years): this difference is the possibility for md omfs to be accepted into fellowships that are not available to non md omfs (For example there is a fellowship in the States that deals with head and neck oncology, a field of ENT). Therefore, OMFS are able to perform major surgeries. However, before getting into that field, one should be aware that those procedures are not the bread and butter of the profession. 3rd molars are to OMFS what appendectomies are to some general surgeons who did not pursue a fellowship.

 

Peace

 

I think this thread has digress from what the OP intended to disguist. How uninformed are you on posting that response? Seriously there are no significant differences between most 4 yrs vs 6 yrs OMS program, please go to SDN for your info in terms of handling the full scope of OMS. A 4 yr trained OMS will and can handle facial trauma, etc. As for fellowship post training, it is true that more and more US programs are looking for the 6 yrs trained one, but it is not a necessities. The only thing is that 6 yr program (depending on the states allow you to apply on a GS licence if you want, but only limited to that state).

 

The reason why i am training in a 6 yr program, b/c I am interested in craniofacial or microvascular surgery to increase my chance of fellowship training. A 4 yr trained can harvest hip, fib, rib or scapular graft for mid-face and mandibular reconstruction, trauma, etc, as well as acceptance into Fellowship.

 

As for handling drunk, once they sobered up, they are easily handled.

 

It is true that there are fellowship for OMS in US for Head and Neck oncology, craniofacial, microvascular surgery (which is very similar to ENT field if not overlap), however, an ENT surgeon will also need fellowship training on those area, not just immediately after 5 years of residency.

 

As for why some OMS just stay in office doing smaller procedures are multi-factorial. Limited hospital OR time, lifestyle just to name a few.

 

It is just like a respirologist, do you think they really want to do in-patient care, if they are given a sleep lab to run? or a gastroenterologist if they have 5 days of Endo suite time? or a nephrologist doing consult medicine, i think s/he would rather run a dialysis unit!

 

Until you are in a residency program in medicine, you will then fully appreciate that there are limitations that prevent you from practising what you truly want.

________

AMBER TRICHOMES

[itimebomb2]

Sorry itimebomb2, but I seriously hope that someone like you never gets through that interview stage to become a doctor.

 

You speak of being humble, and yet you trample over thousands of people's achievements by making fun of the University of Alberta's medical school. I guess all the students currently studying medicine at U of A are glad to hear that YOU think that their (possibly) greatest achievement is nothing because they go to the "least desirable medical school"? Let's see you get in first before you start talking. You don't want to save lives, you want the prestige and money of being a doctor. Maybe you're trying to hide it, but everyone here is probably smart enough to see your arrogant attitude through your posts. This isn't about whether dentists or doctors have more prestige, this is you being an *******. Your post here is completely undermined by everything else you have said in other posts.

 

Hopefully your future interviewers see through your weak facade.

 

You 're 100% right on this one. Trust me it's not the first ignorant and arrogant comment that Itimibomb has posted on this forum (I'm sure many people can concur).

 

I agree with you powerpenguin. Humility isn't gauged based on how you perceive yourself, but by those around you. "Least desirable medical school"- I hope that he gets an interview at U of A, they find out who he is and they pull up his post on that and ask the question: "Why should we allow you into our school since all you do is insult us?" Get the reject stamp ready.

 

Why don't you go back to the med side of premed 101 (if they want you after you insult their schools) because I think you're overstaying your welcome in the dentistry forum.

 

He's overstaying his welcome in the med forum too lol

 

Well, there's not much a guy can really say to all of that except I apologize if I've offended you in some way. I do believe that I've stated numerous times that we should all just stop caring about differentiating between doctors and dentists based on ability/prestige/merit etc. but you all seem so intent on picking out the other statements that I make to make me look like an ogre.

 

I haven't tried to make any personal malicious attacks at anyone here yet and I'm not going to start now. If any of you would care to get to know me in person, rather than drawing judgments about me based on quotes on an anonymous forum, I'd be happy to take you out for a drink.

[itimebomb2]

itimebomb is a funny person - he's a health sci, and I do believe I know who he is. At least from an acquaintance at mac.

 

He hates moslems, wants everyone to convert to christianity, gloats over non meds people like he is some god, and is a real jerk overall. A guy after my own heart some here would argue ;-)

 

well as much as i appreciate the overall sentiment, i think it should be put on the record that my best friend and roommate is a dental student, i certainly do NOT hate moslems as many of my moslem friends would profess.

 

Im interested to know who you know who might know me. health sci probably?

[powerpenguin]

Well, there's not much a guy can really say to all of that except I apologize if I've offended you in some way. I do believe that I've stated numerous times that we should all just stop caring about differentiating between doctors and dentists based on ability/prestige/merit etc. but you all seem so intent on picking out the other statements that I make to make me look like an ogre.

 

I haven't tried to make any personal malicious attacks at anyone here yet and I'm not going to start now. If any of you would care to get to know me in person, rather than drawing judgments about me based on quotes on an anonymous forum, I'd be happy to take you out for a drink.

 

Haha well I don't mind, I guess too many people are sensitive to that stuff.

 

Just to note, everyone has most likely already read your posts where you talk about minimizing the emphasis on money and prestige, but your other posts have a much different attitude to them. If you did not think so, try and re-read your older posts and figure out how- sensitivity is pretty important at the interview you know .

[infomeddude]

Moslems? MUSLIMS.

[nemesis]

Moslems? MUSLIMS.

 

Technically, either spelling is correct, although the latter is more common in Western writings.