Factors Associated with OMFS Residents Entering Academic Positions

Objectives: Currently, there is a shortage of academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFSs) in the United States. This study examined the characteristics of OMFS residency programs from which residents had entered academia to determine if there are factors in these programs that can be correlated with such decisions. This information may be helpful in reversing the growing shortage of OMFS faculty.

Methods: A survey was sent to directors of all accredited residency programs. The survey focused on the number of full-time faculty who might serve as role models, the number who had a PhD degree, the number of research grants, whether a program was single degree or double degree and if residents were required to do research. They were also asked the number of residents who had taken academic positions in the last 5 years.

Results: Fifty-one (51%) of the surveyed programs responded to the survey, of which half were single degree and half were double degree programs. Over the last five years 9.8% of graduates from all programs that responded entered academics. The only factors that showed a significant correlation with producing full-time faculty members were the total number of research grants in the department and whether there was an affiliation of the residency program with a dental school.

Conclusion: Based on this study, residency programs that have more research grants (i.e., more research activity), especially when affiliated with a dental school, seem more likely too have its graduates choose a career in academics. Accordingly, it is recommended that OMFS residencies should make every attempt to include some research activity in their programs to encourage academic pursuits.