Other
Venkataramanareddy Nalla, DDS, MS
Resident
Texas A & M University
Texas A and M School of Dentistry
Dallas, Texas, United States
Martha Alvarez, DDS
Texas A and M University
Alton McWhorter, DDS, MS
Texas A&M Pediatric Dentistry
Carolyn Kerins, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor & Grad Program Director
Texas A&M School of Dentistry
Dallas, Texas, United States
Practice experience versus incoming AAPD exam scores.
Nalla V, Kerins CA, McWhorter A, Alvarez M (Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Children’s Medical Center, Dallas, TX)
Purpose: To identify if there was a difference in AAPD in-service exam scores between incoming residents dependent or prior clinical practice experience.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of redacted incoming in-service exam scores from 2015 to 2022. Data was compared to the mean score for the year of the exam and stratified by whether the incoming student had previous work experience.
Results: 108 scores were included in this study. 49 (45%) students had prior work experience. 29/49 (59%) of those with work experience had scores above the mean for that exam compared to 31/59 (53%) for those without work experience. There was no significant difference between work experience and whether or not a student scored above the mean p=0.561.
Conclusions: For TAMU students, work experience had some benefit in scores but was not significant.