Changing from pre-med to pre-dental

[Hogfan10]

I am currently pre-med but I have met so many pre-dental students that have changed from pre-med to to pre-dental during undergrad and are much happier. I am weighing which direction I want to take by shadowing and more research on the future of the profesion of medicine vs dental. I am a sophmore so I have plenty of time to decide and since the pre-reqs are basically the same.

I was curious if anyone changed over and had any advice?

Thank you!

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[bchurchmanpac]

I would suggest that your undergraduate classification has little bearing on entrance into either dental or medical school. They both have essentially the same prereq courses..ie...1 year of org, inorg, bio and physics. I think the only differences are non-academic in regard to shadowing experience. That being said, some people like to brag that they are "pre-med" which really just means that if you dont get into medical school that you will have a worseless degree....just like "pre-dental".

 

[watchursmile]

I took nursing as my undergrad thinking I wanted to go to med school, but once I started my clinical in the hospital and seeing the med students it made my decision very easy to switch into dental. Residency is brutal and you do not get paid well, while you only have to do the 4 years of dental school and then you are working. It is usually easier to have a better lifestyle as a dentist and you will most likely not be working any weekends or holidays.
Good Luck

 

[sundaequeen]

I am one of those people. Granted, I was never 100% sure on med, but that was the way I was headed. I switched over during the summer after my junior year, when I did an internship at a medical center where I shadowed both physicians and dentists. After that it was pretty clear to me that dental was for me, and it was a very conscious choice on my part to choose it over medicine. So I would definitely recommend shadowing both professions and see for yourself before making a decision!

 

[Hogfan10]

Okay, thanks for the advice guys!