Help! - Very Confused

[pghgal333]

When I was doing my undergrad, I did not care at all about school. It took me along time to graduate and when I finally did, I graduated with a 2.6 gpa I received my associated and bachelors degree in Dental Hygeine. I worked as a hygienist for 2 years and love it. I love it so much that I want to go to a professional school.

Right now I am taking Bio, Chem, Physics and I am doing well in those 3 courses. I want to know what chances are of getting into a Dental or DO program. Do I even have a chance? Should I keep taking requirements and maintain a high post-grad gpa or should I enroll in a post-bacc program? Does it help I worked in the health-care field for 2 years? I realize high DAT or MCAT scores will offset my poor gpa a bit but I want to do whatever increase my chances of getting in.

Please help me. I am so confused! I am worried that the amount of time it took me to graduate and my low gpa will hold me back. Any advice would be greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

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[Pons Asinorum]

I want to know what chances are of getting into a Dental or DO program.

I would first recommend figuring out which of those two you want to do; they are vastly different in almost every way. Since you work as a hygienist, you should have a pretty good idea of whether you want to be a dentist or not. Being a DO is not the same.

 

[pghgal333]

I understand they are both different. I want to get into the health care field - I love working with people and want to be able to help them. I like dentistry but getting into dental school it is very competitive. Do I have a chance? Or should I focus on trying to get into a DO program? That is where I am confused.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

They are both very competitive, and very different. You currently work in the health care field. What about your current job do you find lacking? The answer to that question will guide which competitive directly you proceed.

 

[take the shot]

When I was doing my undergrad, I did not care at all about school. It took me along time to graduate and when I finally did, I graduated with a 2.6 gpa I received my associated and bachelors degree in Dental Hygeine. I worked as a hygienist for 2 years and love it. I love it so much that I want to go to a professional school.

Right now I am taking Bio, Chem, Physics and I am doing well in those 3 courses. I want to know what chances are of getting into a Dental or DO program. Do I even have a chance? Should I keep taking requirements and maintain a high post-grad gpa or should I enroll in a post-bacc program? Does it help I worked in the health-care field for 2 years? I realize high DAT or MCAT scores will offset my poor gpa a bit but I want to do whatever increase my chances of getting in.

Please help me. I am so confused! I am worried that the amount of time it took me to graduate and my low gpa will hold me back. Any advice would be greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

I love posts like this as it reminds me of myself! No one was less mature or responsible than me in my 20s. School was what I did when there was nothing more exciting. Sometimes I am still stunned they let me into med school but I earned it by working my ass off in the classes I took later on.

You are doing the right thing by taking basic sciences and doing well. From what I have heard from our admissions people (MD) they care less about your past once you prove in the present that you are smart and disciplined and can do well. It definitely helps that you worked in the field as applying after this shows you have done the work and still like it. As far as DO (why not MD?) vs dentist you should think about spending some time with a physician so you can see which appeals to you more. As long as you re-do any sciences in which you scored less than a B your past will not interfere with your future. Also, I encourage you to get to know the professors in these classes as you will need great letters of rec.

I took advantage of all the essays to describe my path as an undisciplined, free-spirited teen who became a focused, mature grown-up. Take advantage of all your experiences when you apply to the schools and treat them as opportunities: your life is rich with experiences that students right out of undergrad don't have. Trust me, it works! It's all about how you spin it. Best of luck to you

 

[PharMed2016]

I love posts like this as it reminds me of myself! No one was less mature or responsible than me in my 20s. School was what I did when there was nothing more exciting. Sometimes I am still stunned they let me into med school but I earned it by working my ass off in the classes I took later on.

You are doing the right thing by taking basic sciences and doing well. From what I have heard from our admissions people (MD) they care less about your past once you prove in the present that you are smart and disciplined and can do well. It definitely helps that you worked in the field as applying after this shows you have done the work and still like it. As far as DO (why not MD?) vs dentist you should think about spending some time with a physician so you can see which appeals to you more. As long as you re-do any sciences in which you scored less than a B your past will not interfere with your future. Also, I encourage you to get to know the professors in these classes as you will need great letters of rec.

I took advantage of all the essays to describe my path as an undisciplined, free-spirited teen who became a focused, mature grown-up. Take advantage of all your experiences when you apply to the schools and treat them as opportunities: your life is rich with experiences that students right out of undergrad don't have. Trust me, it works! It's all about how you spin it. Best of luck to you

Which school if you don't mind me asking? I've always heard that DO were more lenient once you've proven that you could do.

 

[0919mmk]

I understand they are both different. I want to get into the health care field - I love working with people and want to be able to help them. I like dentistry but getting into dental school it is very competitive. Do I have a chance? Or should I focus on trying to get into a DO program? That is where I am confused.

Yeah, I feel like you might be confused as to what a DO is? DO is medical school, straight up, and it is not easier to get in to than dental school. Although I don't know that much about dental school, I do know that it is not medical school, which means that you are learning two totally different skill sets.

Bottom line, if you can't get in to dental school, you can't get in to DO school, and in fact, as a dental hygienist, I imagine getting in to dental school would actually be easier than getting in to med school, insofar as you already have relevant experience.

I would recommend doing some more research, go to the websites of PCOM, DMUCOM, and check out the info available. The question is really do you want to be a doctor or a dentist- those are very different careers.

 

[pghgal333]

No, I am not confused, I know what a DO is!! I understand it is different then dentistry. It is similar to being an MD. I know this!! I do not have a chance of getting into medical school so I do not want to waste my time.

Dental schools are very competitive to get into. So, that is why I shared my history with everyone, should I try to get into Dental school or should I forget about it all together and go for a DO, since there programs tend to be lenient??

IF, there is a chance to get in to dental school, I would like advice on what route to go - keep taking basic sciences classes? post bacc program? What should I do?

Am I more clear now? Yes, I am in the health care field now but I am not able to diagnose and there is not a lot I can do. That is why I would like to go to Dental school or become a DO (and to reiterate, I know its nothing like a dentist!)

 

[Pons Asinorum]

You say you know what a DO is, and then you say something like this...

No, I am not confused, I know what a DO is!!...I do not have a chance of getting into medical school so I do not want to waste my time...should I try to get into Dental school or should I forget about it all together and go for a DO, since there programs tend to be lenient??

DO *is* medical school. In you mind, it should be DO=MD.

 

[EdLongshanks]

No, I am not confused, I know what a DO is!! I understand it is different then dentistry. It is similar to being an MD. I know this!! I do not have a chance of getting into medical school so I do not want to waste my time.

Dental schools are very competitive to get into. So, that is why I shared my history with everyone, should I try to get into Dental school or should I forget about it all together and go for a DO, since there programs tend to be lenient??

IF, there is a chance to get in to dental school, I would like advice on what route to go - keep taking basic sciences classes? post bacc program? What should I do?

Am I more clear now? Yes, I am in the health care field now but I am not able to diagnose and there is not a lot I can do. That is why I would like to go to Dental school or become a DO (and to reiterate, I know its nothing like a dentist!)

More lenient does not mean very lenient. You seem to be under the impression that DO schools are easy to get into. They are not.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

No, I am not confused, I know what a DO is!! I understand it is different then dentistry. It is similar to being an MD. I know this!! I do not have a chance of getting into medical school so I do not want to waste my time.

Dental schools are very competitive to get into. So, that is why I shared my history with everyone, should I try to get into Dental school or should I forget about it all together and go for a DO, since there programs tend to be lenient??

Sounds like you have a lot of thinking to do! You should try to get into the program which matches the lifestyle and career that you want to pursue. Whether you become a dentist or a doctor should NOT be decided based upon which program you think is easier to matriculate into.

IF, there is a chance to get in to dental school, I would like advice on what route to go - keep taking basic sciences classes? post bacc program? What should I do?

Am I more clear now? Yes, I am in the health care field now but I am not able to diagnose and there is not a lot I can do. That is why I would like to go to Dental school or become a DO (and to reiterate, I know its nothing like a dentist!)

You say you have a thorough understanding of what each profession entails, but I really feel that your current problem would be solved by digging just a little deeper. I would spend some more time reading and asking questions on the Osteopathic and Dental boards.

Don't worry about which program you can get into - both paths are difficult and will require a lot of hard work. As long as you are willing to make sacrifices and do that work though, both are obtainable.

 

[0919mmk]

You say you know what a DO is, and then you say something like this...



DO *is* medical school. In you mind, it should be DO=MD.

Right pghgal - this was what I think you were not understanding. DO is easier to get in to than MD (not by much), but they are both med school.

Definitely follow the advice of those saying that you should just do a little more research. Find out what life is like as a dentist and as a doctor. They are indeed both hard to get in to (med school and dental school), so "which is harder" should't really be your primary criterion.