Monday, June 18, 2012
4 versus 6 years
There are basically two main pathways to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon: a 4-year program and a 6-year program. The difference is that the 6-year program is a dual degree program. This means that 2 years of the residency are spent in 2 years of medical school in order to earn the MD. Usually the years in med school are years #3 and 4 or years #2 and 3. These years in MD school are completed in the first half of the 6 years. The 6-year program residents also take the USMLE national medical boards to become fully licensed Medical Doctor. Both 4-year and 6-year programs earn a certificate in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The medical degree is peripheral to our training. And when I say that, I mean the MD is not needed to become a very competent OMS. The MD is a good education but adds very little to the specific training of OMS. It does, however, add a nice safety net for two big reasons: 1) if you can't practice OMS in the future due to injury, you can do something in medicine that only requires a sharp mind: radiology, medicine, etc. and 2) turf wars: if for some reason you find yourself battling for privileges to do certain procedures that some people may think a DDS/DMD OMS cannot perform, you can show that you have an MD and this might open a few doors for you. (might) The truth is most MDs will always see you as dentist even if you have an MD. Which in my book is perfect because I want to be an OMS, a specialty in dentistry. The MD allows me to play the card as it serves me best.
The medical education in med school has allowed me to see what MDs go through in order to become a physician or surgeon. It is a good education which can be very rigorous at times. The USMLE is no joke (I will discuss this topic later). But as much as I learn in med school, I still believe it is not necessary to become an oral surgeon. During the rough rigorous times, I ask myself, "Is this really what I wanted? For example, do I need to learn about OB/GYN in detail? Do I need to sit in class for a whole year learning basic sciences again in order to become an OMS?" Answer-No I don't need to. But it adds to my education and may play a role in my future privileges at a large-city hospital.
It would have been nice to not take a break from dentistry and OMS for those 2 years and kept the momentum going in the field of dentistry going from dental school to OMS. Now I am interrupting this momentum and moving into medicine. I feel I am not as sharp as I would like to be on the things pertaining to dentistry/OMS as I might have been if I attended a 4-year program which has smaller breaks and all training is applicable to OMS.
Deciding to do a 4-year or a 6-year was a big decision. They call it the million-dollar decision because it is possible to make $1,000,000 with two more years of practice instead of the MD education. I took the decision seriously and I chose the 6-year route. Sometimes I question it in times of struggle in med school, but when it really comes down to it, I believe I made the right choice for me. I may go back and forth a little and question it, but I truly think this is normal, natural and healthy. I believe I am not the first 6-year OMS to question my decision. But even when I question it and pause to really contemplate it, I still come back to the same decision that the OMS/MD route was best for me.
For those interested in OMS and deciding between 4 and 6, I recommend evaluating yourself and seeing if you really desire the MD. If you love education and want the MD, then go for it. But if you are not fully desiring it or you are doing it for the wrong reason, then it might be more hassle than it is worth to you and you will end up hating the time spent there. I truly love education and learning even though it can be painful at times. I am excited to apply my knowledge and show what I know and what I can do as I get further along in my program.
Even though the MD is not needed to become an OMS, I appreciate the education and I would choose it again.
The medical education in med school has allowed me to see what MDs go through in order to become a physician or surgeon. It is a good education which can be very rigorous at times. The USMLE is no joke (I will discuss this topic later). But as much as I learn in med school, I still believe it is not necessary to become an oral surgeon. During the rough rigorous times, I ask myself, "Is this really what I wanted? For example, do I need to learn about OB/GYN in detail? Do I need to sit in class for a whole year learning basic sciences again in order to become an OMS?" Answer-No I don't need to. But it adds to my education and may play a role in my future privileges at a large-city hospital.
It would have been nice to not take a break from dentistry and OMS for those 2 years and kept the momentum going in the field of dentistry going from dental school to OMS. Now I am interrupting this momentum and moving into medicine. I feel I am not as sharp as I would like to be on the things pertaining to dentistry/OMS as I might have been if I attended a 4-year program which has smaller breaks and all training is applicable to OMS.
Deciding to do a 4-year or a 6-year was a big decision. They call it the million-dollar decision because it is possible to make $1,000,000 with two more years of practice instead of the MD education. I took the decision seriously and I chose the 6-year route. Sometimes I question it in times of struggle in med school, but when it really comes down to it, I believe I made the right choice for me. I may go back and forth a little and question it, but I truly think this is normal, natural and healthy. I believe I am not the first 6-year OMS to question my decision. But even when I question it and pause to really contemplate it, I still come back to the same decision that the OMS/MD route was best for me.
For those interested in OMS and deciding between 4 and 6, I recommend evaluating yourself and seeing if you really desire the MD. If you love education and want the MD, then go for it. But if you are not fully desiring it or you are doing it for the wrong reason, then it might be more hassle than it is worth to you and you will end up hating the time spent there. I truly love education and learning even though it can be painful at times. I am excited to apply my knowledge and show what I know and what I can do as I get further along in my program.
Even though the MD is not needed to become an OMS, I appreciate the education and I would choose it again.
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