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A little more than half way done with D4 year here at Temple and I must say that the last 2 years of dental school are very busy here at Temple.  This final year has been busy mostly because of applying to a residency program.  In May 2009 I started filling out the PASS forms for the Match.  This included gathering undergraduate transcripts, dental school transcripts, letters of recommendations, filling out forms, paying fees, researching programs, etc.  During this time we were taking about 12 credits of classes, had patients full time, and was juggling the organizations I was involved in and my family time.  I submitted my application in the beginning of July when my D3 grades were finally released.  Then the waiting began.  My first interview was from Temple and was followed by Thomas Jefferson, Arizona, Houston, Galveston, Cook County, Long Island Jewish,  Christiana Care, and Lincoln hospital in New York City.  Lincoln is the only interview I did not attend, only because I could not see my family living in the city. (toomuch$$$$$ and concrete)  Some of the interviews were back to back.  One night I was in Houston, the next in Chicago, the next night in…..lot’s of traveling and plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, etc.  The whole application process from the PASS application to travel expenses cost about $5,000-$6,000 dollars.  My credit card is still feeling the hurt.

Now that I matched, I do feel a huge sense of relief, but at the same time I have many things left to do:

• Take NBDE Part II
• Take regional boards (WREB for me)
• Graduate

To graduate I need to complete a few requirements:

• 3 more crowns (need 15 total)
• 3 more dentures (actually 7 but I am currently in the process of making 4) (need 11 total)
• I need some more class II amalgam points - about 3-4 two surface amalgams.
• Class II amalgam competency
• Maxillary denture competency
• Crown competency
• Treatment planning competency
• Outreach days at satellite clinics
• Pediatric operative competency
• Oral surgery competency (extract lower molar under nitrous)

I am done in the following:

• Radiology: this includes taking multiple FMX’s and panoramic radiographs
• Admissions: This includes EO/IO admit exam and a medical history plus some tests, etc.
• Endodontics: I ended up doing 5 anteriors and 3 molars. At Temple we don’t count canals, we count actual teeth.
• Periodontics: I cleaned more mouths than I cared to.

I think all this is attainable by the end of May.  My goal is to be done by the beginning of May so I have time to transfer my patient charts, drop patients that don’t want to be seen, and get cleared from all the clinics.  This is a fun process all on it’s own.  Last week I dropped 4 charts. It took the better part of an afternoon to call the patients, get all the right paperwork and letters sent out, and officially drop the chart out of my name.  I have about 35 patients left.