The moment you finish BDS, a big question stares you in the face— MDS or a job?
I found myself torn between:
- Jumping into the real world – gaining hands-on experience, financial independence, and understanding the industry outside textbooks.
- Going back to college for MDS – structured learning, specialization, and a defined academic path.
But there’s also a middle ground— Fellowships.
While I weighed my options, these were my key deciding factors:
Ps : there is nothing right or wrong , these were just those factors which made me decide my path and goal.
Below are the points that mattered to me the most –
1️⃣ The Learning Curve: Depth vs. Breadth
- MDS: A deep dive into a specific specialty, but it comes with research, case papers, and thesis work alongside clinical training.
- Fellowship: Purely clinical, hands-on experience without the added academic requirements. The focus is cases, not research.
2️⃣ Time Commitment: Specializing in One vs. Exploring Multiple Areas
- MDS: A 3-year journey, primarily working on the patient pool available in a hospital or college setting.
- Fellowship: Typically 1-2 years, meaning in the same time frame, I could explore multiple fellowships across different specialties.
3️⃣ Real-World Application: The Practical Angle
- MDS: You work on hospital-based cases, which may not fully prepare you for private practice challenges.
- Fellowship + Job: My plan was to do a fellowship and then work alongside to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios.
4️⃣ The End Goal: Practice vs. Job Security
- If you’re looking for long-term jobs, MDS holds weight. Hospitals and institutions value the title.
- But for my own clinic? Patients care about results, not just degrees. Instead of spending three years in MDS, I could focus on clinical skills + learn how to run a practice.
5️⃣ Business & Management: Beyond Just Dentistry
- MDS colleges are structured like BDS—clinical-heavy with little exposure to business aspects.
- I wanted to diversify and understand practice management, which led me to consider exploring an MBA-like experience for the future.
6️⃣ Hiring Experts vs. Being the Expert
- In my own practice, I can always hire MDS specialists for complex cases while focusing on building a well-rounded clinic.
- For me, learning to run a practice efficiently was just as important as mastering clinical skills.
5️⃣ Personal Growth – Sometimes, stepping into the field teaches more than sitting in a classroom.
At the end of the day, MDS and fellowship both have their place—what matters is what fits your career vision.
