Today’s guest specializes in the treatment of facial injuries, cleft jaw surgery, orthognathic surgery, and the education of the upcoming generations of oral surgeons. Dr. Mark Engelstad’s passion for teaching is palpable and his approach inspiring. He has recently stepped back slightly from his program director role to focus on another exciting project; the development of a database for medical professionals to keep track of everything that they have done during their careers. Mark is a firm believer in the value of fellowships and that the thing that matters most at your graduation is what you’ve done in the years leading up to that day; regardless of whether you’ve done a double degree or a single degree, or where you did it. Our conversation also covers Mark’s view on diversity, and the approach that we should be taking to increase it within the field of OMS.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Mark shares what attracted him to the field of oral surgery.
• What Mark’s main surgery areas of focus are.
• The software startup that Mark is in the process of developing. 
• Why Mark is a huge supporter of fellowships. 
• What the purpose of a fellowship is, and why it differs from residency.
• The minimum experience requirement to become accredited as an oral surgeon.
• Reasons that people choose not to do fellowships. 
• Mark’s passion for surgical education, and his approach to helping his students thrive.
• Why Mark believes that nobody should be a program director for more than 10 years. 
• When it makes sense to go the double-degree route, and when it doesn't. 
• The factor that matters most on graduation day. 
• Variations amongst the double-degree programs that exist. 
• A comparison of the general surgery requirements of different medical specialities. 
• Mark shares his opinion on the importance of diversity in the OMS field, and the approach that he advocates for achieving this.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — [email protected]

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059