Students Reflect on Externship Experiences in Asia
On Tuesday, January 24, 2017, eight DMD students at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine gave a presentation on their International Externship Exchange Program experiences in China, Japan, and Thailand. Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter, Dr. Laisheng Chou, and Dr. Michelle Henshaw hosted the presentations
China Externship
The first group of students, Jing Guo DMD 17, Alex Nguyen DMD 17, Joanna Song DMD 17, and Michael Whitcomb DMD 17 visited China in June 2016. While there, they observed at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University College of Stomatology in Shanghai, the Fourth Military Medical University of Stomatology in Xian, and the Peking University School of Stomatology in Beijing. As this was a surgically focused Externship, the students were able to observe a number of complicated oral and maxillofacial surgical cases on both adult and pediatric patients. They were joined on the trip by Dr. David Dano, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry. As their faculty leader, Dr. Dano also gave a guest lecture at each of the Schools.
Their first stop was the Peking University School of Stomatology. The students were most astonished at the volume of patients who were seen at the School every day, with an average of 2,000 outpatient treatments done daily. Some people even line up days in advance, as they travel to Beijing from rural parts of China. Here they observed a Cleft Lip and Pallet surgery as part of their experience.
Next was the Fourth Military Medical University (FMMU) in Xian. Xian is a city full of rich history, and the students were very excited about visiting the Xian City Wall, seeing an Opera, and the historic Terra Cotta Warriors. While at FMMU, the students observed in the General Dentistry Treatment Centers and each of the postdoctoral specialty Treatment Centers.
Their final visit was in Shanghai to the 9th People’s Hospital in Shanghai. This also, coincidentally, is Dr. Chou’s alma mater. At this rotation, they observed the most in-depth surgical procedure, as a patient had an apple-sized tumor removed from his right maxillary region. It was a 16-hour procedure and required the neurological and oral surgeons to work together.
Japan/Thailand Externship
The second Externship group, made up of McAllister Castelaz DMD 17, Jimmy Li DMD 17, Wenyu Qu DMD 17, and Lihsin Wu DMD 17 visited Japan and Thailand, specifically the Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Tokyo and the Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Dentistry in Bangkok.
In Tokyo, they spent five days at the University, which is known for its strong research program. On the first day, they toured the entire facility, but each day thereafter was spent in specific departments such as; Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Implantology, Oral Surgery, Prosthodontics, and General Dentistry.
Once in Bangkok, they had a similar experience, spending a day in Implantology, Prosthodontics, Oral Surgery, and Geriatrics. A unique experience for the group was on their second day, when they participated in the Chulalongkorn University’s community outreach program. They visited area schools and interacted with patients there. In addition, they also visited an orphanage for patients with special needs or who were medically compromised and required special care. As a special treat, the students met with Thai students who had studied at GSDM the year before. These students acted as tour guides and introduced our students to their culture, studies, and way of life.
Dean Hutter closed out the presentation, thanking Dr. Henshaw and Dr. Chou for their work on our Externship programs, and commended the students on a job well done. “Thank you to these outstanding students for your hard work and for so well representing our School. You made us all very proud.”