Part 2 (Practical Examination) of the Hong Kong Dental Licensing Examination (HKDLE) has always been regarded as the toughest and lowest pass rate of the entire examination. If Part 1 can still be solved through exam oriented methods, then Part 2 needs to engrave the practical standards into muscle memory.
Recently, the results of Part 2 have been officially announced. In this issue of ‘Hong Kong Drifting Dentist Guide’, we connected with Dr. H who just received his transcript. Faced with the unsatisfactory result of only passing one of the five exams, he did not choose to avoid talking about it, but candidly reviewed the pitfalls and emotional journey of this exam with us.
(Note: To respect the privacy of the interviewee, the content of this article has been anonymized.)
Interviewee: Dr. H
Mainland background reference candidate, recently received HKDLE Part 2 exam results.
Root cause of failure: less than a month of hasty battles
When it comes to the reason for the unsatisfactory results this time, Dr. H admitted that the biggest fatal flaw is the serious lack of review time.
After successfully passing the Part 1 written test, due to the late registration in mid June and extremely heavy workload, I had less than a month to truly concentrate on reviewing and practicing.
Part 2 and Part 1 are completely two dimensions. ”Dr. H reflected. Although the experience in mainland China provided him with a solid foundation, the standards for using British equipment, the requirements for tooth preparation angles, and the all English communication logic when facing examiners in the Hong Kong practical examination all require a significant amount of muscle memory reshaping. In less than a month, the hasty results of changing clinical habits and adapting to assessment standards were cruelly reflected in the transcript.
Part 2: There are no shortcuts or chances
The result of passing only one of the five exams this time dealt a heavy blow to Dr. H, but also allowed him to thoroughly understand the essence of Part 2’s examination.
He mentioned that Part 2 is a link of extreme de foam. The examiner doesn’t care where you have previously done clinical work, all details are very rigorous, and you may not have passed in your confident operations.
The biggest lesson I learned from this is that when facing Part 2, I absolutely cannot have any luck mentality of relying on experience for ‘naked exams’ or short-term assaults. ”Dr. H admitted that he must set aside at least three months for training during the next retake.
Why is it still necessary to go to Hong Kong?
Despite suffering a considerable blow, Dr. H did not give up in his eyes during the interview process. When asked why he insisted on going to Hong Kong even though Part 2 was so difficult and the process was so painful, he gave an extremely firm answer.
Dr. H deeply understands the professional bottleneck and energy consumption caused by excessive intensity of internal competition. He is persistent in obtaining a practicing qualification in Hong Kong because he sees another possibility.
Going to Hong Kong is the ‘second curve’ I am looking for in my career, “said Dr. H.
This defeat is not the end for him, but an expensive but necessary “trial and error and calibration”. He was well aware that the value of the Hong Kong dentist’s license was precisely reflected in the almost stringent assessment standards of Part 2. Dr. H, who has recognized the gap, shed his pride, and packed his bags again, has started preparing for the next review and re examination.