As May 18th approached, I began receiving the “don’t forget PASS opens” texts from my parents. Like I needed the reminder: I already had nightmares of the application process. One night, I actually herniated a disc in my neck from the stress and insomnia that came from applying. Thankfully, I can laugh at that now.
While my application process was atypical, I feel many of my experiences are relevant to those using the American Dental Education Association’s Postdoctoral Application Support Service (ADEA PASS) and even the Match system. There are plenty of things I wish I’d known or done better, and I’m happy to share them below:
On January 26th, a flurry of Facebook posts popped up in my newsfeed from elated students announcing their match day results. For many, match day served as the end of a long application process to various specialty programs, general practice residencies (GPRs), and advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD) programs. For some, this served as a dress rehearsal in preparation for another attempt at matching next year. Regardless, going through the Match process takes some serious effort and persistence, but a little background knowledge will help you get through without breaking a sweat.