Lasting Impressions | Summer 2017

46 © NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Student Impressions The six-year, dual-degree program curriculum consists of basic science and dental courses in the first year; the study of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and other systems, as well as clinical practice, in the second year; while clinical rotations continue in year three. The dental curriculum resumes in year four; clinical dental courses, one month of medical electives, and a rotation in rural/underserved medicine make up year five; while year six is devoted to clinical dentistry and medical electives. Reflecting on his six years in the dual-degree program as he neared graduation, Semensohn said, “It’s like a family environment. The faculty members are my older brothers and sisters.” He added that Jason Portnof, D.M.D., M.D. (’02), a dual-degree oral maxillofacial surgeon, is “the closest thing to a mentor to us.” Semensohn and Kravchenko talked about the rigors of the program’s medical rotations. They agreed that the most difficult times were the transitions from medical to dental curricula. At one point in their training, “dental days” were accompanied by two weeks of a night hospital emer- gency room rotation. Kravchenko said he would get two to three hours of sleep before going to the CMD dental clinic. “I realized that I’m well prepared for a surgical residency,” he said. At another time in their training, daytime shifts in a community medical rotation were followed by evenings at the dental clinic. “We haven’t had a break in three years,” Semensohn said. The end of January marked the completion of medical school requirements for the two students. “We’re just concentrating on graduating from dental school and board exams,” Semensohn said. On January 30, each student was informed about his match for postdoctoral residencies in oral maxillofacial surgery. Semensohn matched with Broward Health Medical Center, where he will train under several oral maxillo- facial surgeons, including CDM faculty members Portnof and Steven I. Kaltman, D.M.D., M.D., both of whom know Semensohn well. The local residency will give him the opportunity to stay at home and practice in South Florida. Semensohn said he is considering a private practice or a group practice with hospital privileges and possibly working in academic medicine. Kravchenko matched with Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. “I was excited to receive the news. It was my first choice,” he said. “My ideal practice is private practice in Southern California, with an affiliation to a university or hospital.” u Continued from previous page Ryan Semensohn’s residency in oral maxillofacial surgery will be at Broward Health Medical Center.