JCDA - Canadian Dental Association

Continued from page 574
operators of the swimming pool are
now taking action to ensure that the
pool will be properly chlorinated in
the future. Our article seems to have
had a positive eff ect!
Dr. Colin Dawes
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Applying to Specialty
Programs: What to Know
Before You Go!
Most students enter undergraduate
dentistry uncertain
of the path they will choose upon
completion. Only as the end nears
does one begin to ponder various options.
Many select private practice,
while others consider an advanced
graduate residency program. Some,
like myself, feel they have recognized
their passion early in their careers
and aim for a specialty.
I would like to discuss my experiences
with the specialty school
application process. While it appears
to be a simple task, navigating the
application process is demanding
and pivotal to one’s success.
Before the actual application
process begins, students must
weigh the relative strengths of the
schools they might attend. Some of
these off er a master’s degree, others
––– Letters –––
certifi cates and some PhDs. Th e
division of time allotted to research
as well as didactic and clinical
training ranges widely. Many other
variables come into play. For example,
can you live in the given city
during your studies or maybe your
life? What about family, friends and
loved ones?
When you’ve selected your potential
schools, a typical application
requires essays, letters of reference,
superior board scores and funds to
support the application fees. To add
to the load, documents must be sent
to diff erent people at diff erent times
and must follow strict presentation
formats.
Aft er sending off the required
information, an invitation for an
interview might ensue. You must
capitalize on this opportunity to
increase your chances of acceptance.
Although interviews vary in their
formality, one underlying theme
is recognition of a well-rounded
individual. Schools must feel that you
will get along with everyone in an
intimate working environment. Th e
question is, how do you prove this?
Being selected to multiple programs
can be a double-edged sword
as one must be careful about what
information to divulge to each
school. Schools are aware that
other programs are vying for the
576 JCDA • www.cda-adc.ca/jcda • September 2008, Vol. 74, No. 7 •
same candidates and will pressure
you to reveal where you’ve applied,
interviewed or been accepted. You
must walk a fi ne line as you try to
keep certain doors open while not
closing others.
Aft er having gone through the
lengthy and demanding application
process, I have gained a greater
understanding of how to be a more
competitive and successful candidate.
I was fortunate to develop
a mentor-like relationship with
Drs. Howard Tenenbaum, Bruce
Freeman and Yair Lenga at the
University of Toronto. These
individuals off ered invaluable advice
and I would personally like
to thank them for helping me recognize
and achieve my passion in
periodontology.
I hope this letter will be informative
to future specialty school applicants
and will help facilitate the
application process as they pursue
their own ultimate goal of becoming
specialists.
Dr. Phil Walton
Toronto, Ontario
NOTE: After graduating from the
University of Toronto in 2008, Dr. Walton
is now pursuing postgraduate training to
receive his certifi cate in periodontology
and a master’s of medical science in oral
biology at Harvard School of Dental
Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.