New Grad-Need advice for Ortho Residency

[Molarbear92]

Hi everyone!

I am a recent 2018 from dental school and am currently in an AEGD program. During my fourth year of dental school, I decided I want to specialize in orthodontics. I applied this year, got one interview, but no success. Here's more about me:

GPA: My school was PASS/NO PASS, but I was a bit of a nerd and got a lot of honors. Also, the deans office was about to tell me I was in the top 5% (of 90 students)

Research: None. I feel this was a weak point when I went on ortho interviews because they asked me about it twice during my interview.

Extracurriculars:
- Member of my school's admissions committee where I read applications and selected students for interviews and matriculation.
- Regular volunteering each week as a student dentist serving the free clinic at my school
- Teaching assistant to third year student dentists providing care at the free clinic
- Involvement in several dental health promotion clubs (such as pediatric and LGBTQ focus)
- Involvement in my dental fraternity
-Ortho shadowing

GRE/ADAT
-Writing:162, Math: 156, Writing: 4 . I have always been crummy at math and writing.
ADAT: 710. This was the max reported score for the 2018 ADAT cycle.

I want to become a stronger applicant and I think not doing research really set me back. Can any of you lovely doctors recommend anything to make my application stronger, or recommend how to get involved in research as a practicing dentist?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this!

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[2TH MVR]

No chance of doing ortho research in your aegd program?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

How many programs did you apply to?

Big Hoss

 

[mmc12]

Nearly all of my ortho interviews asked me about if I've had any research experience. I would try to get at least some research experience, maybe from your AEGD.

 

[Molarbear92]

No chance of doing ortho research in your aegd program?

Unfortunately, there is not an opportunity at this AEGD.

 

[Molarbear92]

How many programs did you apply to?

Big Hoss

11

 

[Molarbear92]

Nearly all of my ortho interviews asked me about if I've had any research experience. I would try to get at least some research experience, maybe from your AEGD.

I totally agree it's necessary, unfortunately I am unable to do any through my AEGD. Any ideas how to do some as a working dentist? Thank you for your response. I hope you are doing ortho now

 

[mmc12]

I totally agree it's necessary, unfortunately I am unable to do any through my AEGD. Any ideas how to do some as a working dentist? Thank you for your response. I hope you are doing ortho now

Haha well I haven't gotten in yet (I find out in a week) but I've gotten more interviews this cycle than any cycle when I didn't have the research experience.

It might be hard to do research as a private practice dentist. Perhaps you could get in contact with the research department of your dental school or any dental school in the area?

Worst comes to worst, I have read of someone who didn't match the first time and ended up doing a masters in TMD or something and getting published....

 

[Molarbear92]

Haha well I haven't gotten in yet (I find out in a week) but I've gotten more interviews this cycle than any cycle when I didn't have the research experience.

It might be hard to do research as a private practice dentist. Perhaps you could get in contact with the research department of your dental school or any dental school in the area?

Worst comes to worst, I have read of someone who didn't match the first time and ended up doing a masters in TMD or something and getting published....

Well I wish you the best of luck!! Yes I was thinking potentially doing a masters in something? (I really like public health)

 

[charlestweed]

If you are doing AEGD residency at a dental school, try to ask a professor there to let you participate in a research project. You don’t have to finish it nor need to publish it. Ortho programs, especially the ones that offer MS degree, simply want you to have some exposures to research. At one interview, the ortho director asked me about my research project at my dental school. I told him what I did and he criticized me in saying that it wasn’t a research project…he said it was more like an essay paper. And 2 days later, he called me to offer me the acceptance.

You also need to apply to more schools.

 

[Molarbear92]

If you are doing AEGD residency at a dental school, try to ask a professor there to let you participate in a research project. You don’t have to finish it nor need to publish it. Ortho programs, especially the ones that offer MS degree, simply want you to have some exposures to research. At one interview, the ortho director asked me about my research project at my dental school. I told him what I did and he criticized me in saying that it wasn’t a research project…he said it was more like an essay paper. And 2 days later, he called me to offer me the acceptance.

You also need to apply to more schools.

Glad to hear you got in! I am not at a dental school at my AEGD, it is at a clinic. Thank you for your response though.