*Parkland*

The long awaited day finally came! We were up at 5:30 am on Monday, Jan 31st, waiting for an email that would name our fate for the next 6 years. The only reason to think the email would come so early was that it came that early the year before! So, since we wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway, we were sitting up in bed in the dark staring at our phone. Then all of a sudden, an Inbox(1). Our hearts pounding, we frantically opened the email, and... PARKLAND! Eric did a fist-pump and a "Yeah!" And I went, Dallas. Aaaahhhh, thank you. Warm weather. Nice city. Family in Houston. Where I always wanted to go for oral surgery! What a dream come true. What an answer to many prayers.

Eric couldn't be more excited. A top med school, a premier oral surgery program, a happy wife. 

Here's a blurb on what Eric will be doing the next 6 years:

Parkland Hospital

The OMS training programs include extensive training in maxillofacial trauma, facial reconstruction, orthognathic surgery, preprosthetic surgery, temporomandibular joint surgery, aesthetic maxillofacial surgery, craniofacial surgery, exodontia and other surgery as it pertains to the specialty. An extremely busy in-patient service and out-patient clinic are maintained in each hospital. The programs are designed to thoroughly familiarize trainees in the clinical management of oral and maxillofacial surgery patients.

Additionally, the senior residents may rotate to the Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center in Abilene, TX, under the direction of Howard Tobin, MD, where they receive an intense experience in cosmetic surgery.

Biomedical sciences are incorporated into the residency experience by rotations on other services.  Rotations on general and trauma surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, otorhinolaryngology, and other surgical electives provide the resident with an extensive background in the management of a variety of medical and/or surgical problems.  Weekly conferences are held on Wednesday evening for the entire oral and maxillofacial surgery service.  Formal lectures in oral pathology are given on a monthly basis.

Our basic program is six years in duration, and is described below:
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Year 1
July 1 to Mid-August - Parkland OMS service
Mid-August to May 30 - Year 2 of medical school
June 1 to June 30 - Parkland OMS service

Year 2 - Third year of medical school (includes 1 month of OMS)

Year 3 - Fourth year of medical school (includes 2 months of anesthesia and 3 months of OMS)

Year 4 - PGY 1 year of general surgery (includes 2 months of anesthesia)

Year 5 - oral and maxillofacial surgery

Year 6 - oral and maxillofacial surgery

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Applicants accepted to our OMS/MD training program receive advanced standing at Southwestern Medical School. At the conclusion of three years of medical school, there is a one-year general surgery internship which will provide additional experience and fulfill the requirements of licensure in those states requiring one post-graduate year of medical residency. The remainder of the program will fulfill the requirements for advanced education in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as required by the American Dental Association, which includes at least 30 months of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery experience.