Married w/ kids in dental school?

[txlotusboys37]

Hey guys,

So I am getting married this coming summer (in June) and I have a daughter. I just wanted to ask the members on SDN, who are married with kid(s), how they manage time with their family and school.

I'm not worried about if I'm going to be able to do well in school and spend time with my family. I just want to see what your typical day looks like. How much do you study during the week days/ weekends and how much time do you spend with your family, and what y'all usually do? (and yes. I'm a Texan if you couldn't already tell by the y'all haha).

I'll be going to UTHSC-SA so we start on July 2nd. One thing that I really like about the school, especially since I have a daughter, is that the school is open 24/7...which I think is good in case I need to study at the library or work on some lab stuff.

Thanks in advance for your input!

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[youngmc27]

Dental school with a family is hard but definately doable. I had 2 kids throughout school so it was difficult for me to study at home, I stayed late and went early if needed to study and then when I was home I didn't have dental school to worry about. I did spend a lot of time studying off campus too. As long as you make time for both dental school will be great.

 

[lemoncurry]

I have 4 kids and I had 3 when I started d-school. After figuring out what amount of studying I would have to do in order to do well, versus how much work I would need to do at home to keep my wife from going crazy, I came to the conclusion that I much prefer to be a good husband than a good student. I didn't (and don't) spend a lot of time studying unless tests or quizzes are coming up and that frees me up to help around the house. I don't have any set plans to specialize at this point, so I'm content with average grades as long as I graduate on time.

Each situation is different. You need to figure out what your limits are (e.g. the minimum amount of studying you can do to succeed/pass and the maximum amount of time away from the family that your wife can handle) and make a decision how you will proceed. It all depends on you, your wife, your study habits, how "smart" you are in terms of how much studying you actually need, etc.

 

[txlotusboys37]

Ya, I have good study habits. When it comes to my family, they are the most important to me though. I guess I'll figure out my own rhythm whenever I start. I am just curious to know the different study routines you guys have...of course, it's depends on the person and etc.

 

[mr24]

I have a kid and one on the way. when school is over i come home and study while watching my son play with his toys. i usually study everyday after school for atleast 3 hours. during test weeks i study alot more and spend less quality time with my son. on weekends i usually only study about 5 hours per day (till about 12 or 1) which leaves plenty to go do fun things with my wife and kid. like you, family is number one, but i also want to do well is school so i can specialize. its a balancing act for sure but definitely doable. and there are times when i should study but i take a day off anyway just to spend time with family.
you'll be fine, and you will find a balance that fits everything in. But one thing is for sure, you better have a good wife that understands your goals and supports them, or it could be rough.

 

[UBDent19]

I have three kids and am in my second semester of D1. My wife is extremely supportive and there is no way I could do it without her. If she worked it would probably make it a lot tougher but she is able to stay home and give the kids all her attention.

I make sure to get my studying done at school without wasting too much time. I usually study for several hours after class and then go home and spend the rest of the day with the family.

The fear of dental school with kids kept me from going for several years. I wish I would have known earlier how realistic it is to successfully complete dental school with a family. In fact, I think having a family can make school easier because it can focus you and make you more likely to manage your time well - a key skill in getting through dental school.

Good luck!

 

[Msmouth]

I have three kids and am in my second semester of D1. My wife is extremely supportive and there is no way I could do it without her. If she worked it would probably make it a lot tougher but she is able to stay home and give the kids all her attention.

I make sure to get my studying done at school without wasting too much time. I usually study for several hours after class and then go home and spend the rest of the day with the family.

The fear of dental school with kids kept me from going for several years. I wish I would have known earlier how realistic it is to successfully complete dental school with a family. In fact, I think having a family can make school easier because it can focus you and make you more likely to manage your time well - a key skill in getting through dental school.

Good luck!

I'm not in dental school yet but I have 2 kids, I work part-time and I took 15 credits last semester. I managed to achieve a 3.9 (still in disbelief!). I'm taking 16 credits this spring and then applying to dental school. I do agree that as parents we have good time management skills....it's just the only way things get done. Some how you will make it work for you and your family. I know it will be long hard road for us but before you know it you'll be done and a dentist. Just think, you can be the poster child for the non-parents....if you can do it, they can do it ( :
Good luck!

 

[pogue]

I have 4 kids and I had 3 when I started d-school. After figuring out what amount of studying I would have to do in order to do well, versus how much work I would need to do at home to keep my wife from going crazy, I came to the conclusion that I much prefer to be a good husband than a good student. I didn't (and don't) spend a lot of time studying unless tests or quizzes are coming up and that frees me up to help around the house. I don't have any set plans to specialize at this point, so I'm content with average grades as long as I graduate on time.

Each situation is different. You need to figure out what your limits are (e.g. the minimum amount of studying you can do to succeed/pass and the maximum amount of time away from the family that your wife can handle) and make a decision how you will proceed. It all depends on you, your wife, your study habits, how "smart" you are in terms of how much studying you actually need, etc.

Same here. I can't study at home because the kids want to to play, and I'd rather play than study. So I study on campus early, late, and off campus at restaurants. Truck stop restaurants are my favorite. When I get bored I can pop a few quarters in Big Buck Hunter Pro and satisfy my urge to hunt and gather.

 

[txlotusboys37]

When I get bored I can pop a few quarters in Big Buck Hunter Pro and satisfy my urge to hunt and gather.

Nice

 

[dental magic]

I am having interview call for advanced placement dds program at NYU on 7th feb.... I have 4 yr old son,,,,my husband is in india .... i am not worried how i am going to manage studies and my child but i am apprehensive are there enough facilities like day care or preschool where my son will be taken care well n secure...

 

[UBDent19]

I believe you can increase your loan amounts to cover day care as long as it is necessary for you to attend school.

 

[txlotusboys37]

I believe you can increase your loan amounts to cover day care as long as it is necessary for you to attend school.

interesting...I'll have to look into that.

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

I know several people in my class that have kids and their spouse also has a job. No idea how they do it but they make it work. Takes a lot of dedication and time management. And a huge bonus if you have family near by.

 

[DavesNotHere]

Like others have said, a ton of people have made it through dental school with a young family. The ones i knew did not maintain good grades, but none intended to specialize.

I dont think it's very hard to pass dental school, and can be def done.

 

[yappy]

If someone wanted to specialize, or at least keep their options open, what year (1-4) do you think would be best to have kids considering that they detract from your time that could be spent studying.

I'm a guy but had always planned on starting towards the end of dental school. If it is that difficult it might be worth waiting a few more; unless, at some point in the four years it's inconsequential.

Like others have said, a ton of people have made it through dental school with a young family. The ones i knew did not maintain good grades, but none intended to specialize.

I dont think it's very hard to pass dental school, and can be def done.

 

[DavesNotHere]

If someone wanted to specialize, or at least keep their options open, what year (1-4) do you think would be best to have kids considering that they detract from your time that could be spent studying.

I'm a guy but had always planned on starting towards the end of dental school. If it is that difficult it might be worth waiting a few more; unless, at some point in the four years it's inconsequential.

Well you just have to plan around major events imho.

Your 1st and 2nd year are really the most academically demanding. Your first year will be spent at the library/home studying if you want to get that 4.0. Boards are now p/f so any decent student can get this done np, but you do have to study for it...so you will be at the library. My first and second semester we had 23 then 28 finals in a 2.5 week span...everyone has to study even if you were the smartest guy in your undergrad class. The second year is usually still very academic but with the tricky pre-clinical courses thrown in, so some time in the library, a lot more time staying after working/practicing temps/endos/crown-preps. If the handstuff doesn't come easy to you (and for me it did NOT) then you will spend late nights at school setting denture teeth and trying to burn down the clinic witha hanau torch.

The third year is always the easiest. You're in clinic and your academic classes are pretty much dunzo (the hard ones at least). You apply for specialties the summer before your final 2 semesters. The application itself takes time, but it's not bad (a solid week of work gets it filled out and at least a draft of your essay)...what's more demanding are the interviews. I did around 10 interviews (cali to new york and in between) and it ate up huge chucks of time and huge chunks of money. They lasted for me from October to December and cost 8k (with flights/hotels/apps) and like 18-19 days of travel/interview.

Finally your fourth year isn't too bad, but you have to devote time to procuring boards patients and "studying" for part 2 (which is a cake walk). At my school we would come in on the occasional saturday to do all day hell screenings.

Now you have to take into account your residency. Pedo, perio, ortho, and endo all are demanding during the day, but are very manageable on the off-hours (for the most part). Of course some of those will take call, but dental call isn't too bad (i'm at a level 1 trauma center right now and we're the only dental residents for miles and miles and it's very manageable).

So if i were going to give you advice I'd say starting it right around graduation from dental school would be your safest bet. Second best, right at your third year. Third right before board screenings begin. One of the guys from my class had a kid right around clinical boards time and he turned into night-of-the-living-dead and failed his boards first time around.

There are so many independent factors that my recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt and a mound of di-acetylmorphine...but i think a lot of people would agree with my assessment.

 

[txlotusboys37]

For those of you who are in dental school with kids, how are you grades...and do any of you plan to specialize?

I'm just happy that I'll be going to dental school but I've had some thoughts about specializing; the only speicalty that I have an interest at this point is Pedo. But, I'm honestly not sure if I want to specialize...just tossing around the idea.

 

[OG1]

It'll depend on your goals. I was set on specializing so school was extremely intense for the first three years - I didn't spend much time with my family, and usually when I did I wasn't the happiest camper. Essentially my wife raised the kids for those 3 years. I prepped her for this from the get go, though, and we made it through. Fourth year was amazing in terms of free time and days off; once I matched I must have accomplished the single greatest crash and burn of all time at my dental school. I wasn't magna cum laude, but that makes absolutely no difference at this point. I was making up for lost time with my children 4th year.

If I summarized my schedule 1st and 2nd year, it would be 12-14 hour days of class and studying every single day, except for winter and spring break. 3rd year was probably only a couple hours a day of studying, and clinic every day from 8-4. This type of a schedule kept me in the top 4 through 3rd year, with a class size of 130, but your mileage will vary depending on your school and how devoted your classmates are.

If I hadn't specialized, I would have had plenty of family time. Passing in dental school is hard work, don't get me wrong, but the difference between an 85% and a 95% in a class is huge in terms of time required. The problem with trying to get the best grades is that there is always more you can do and it will hang over your head when you are having "free time."

 

[pogue]

For those of you who are in dental school with kids, how are you grades...and do any of you plan to specialize?

I'm just happy that I'll be going to dental school but I've had some thoughts about specializing; the only speicalty that I have an interest at this point is Pedo. But, I'm honestly not sure if I want to specialize...just tossing around the idea.

Priority #1 = family
Priority #2 = pass all classes
Priority #3 = try to get some A's

#1 you just devote the time and leave school at school. I understand that playing in the park on Sunday afternoon will cost me a few points on the exam.

#2 was not "easy" but I passed all of my classes with room to spare.

#3 is not going to happen often. But I do buckle down when I see I am a short putt away from a birdie, so to speak.

As far as my grades- they are lower than most in the class. No shocker there. I just stick to the gameplan.

I don't plan on specializing.

 

[yappy]

Orthogunner, what residency did you get into? Do you know if it is common for ortho residencies to pay a stipend?

It'll depend on your goals. I was set on specializing so school was extremely intense for the first three years - I didn't spend much time with my family, and usually when I did I wasn't the happiest camper. Essentially my wife raised the kids for those 3 years. I prepped her for this from the get go, though, and we made it through. Fourth year was amazing in terms of free time and days off; once I matched I must have accomplished the single greatest crash and burn of all time at my dental school. I wasn't magna cum laude, but that makes absolutely no difference at this point. I was making up for lost time with my children 4th year.

If I summarized my schedule 1st and 2nd year, it would be 12-14 hour days of class and studying every single day, except for winter and spring break. 3rd year was probably only a couple hours a day of studying, and clinic every day from 8-4. This type of a schedule kept me in the top 4 through 3rd year, with a class size of 130, but your mileage will vary depending on your school and how devoted your classmates are.

If I hadn't specialized, I would have had plenty of family time. Passing in dental school is hard work, don't get me wrong, but the difference between an 85% and a 95% in a class is huge in terms of time required. The problem with trying to get the best grades is that there is always more you can do and it will hang over your head when you are having "free time."

 

[bikedoc]

Priority #1 = family
Priority #2 = pass all classes
Priority #3 = try to get some A's

#1 you just devote the time and leave school at school. I understand that playing in the park on Sunday afternoon will cost me a few points on the exam.

#2 was not "easy" but I passed all of my classes with room to spare.

#3 is not going to happen often. But I do buckle down when I see I am a short putt away from a birdie, so to speak.

As far as my grades- they are lower than most in the class. No shocker there. I just stick to the gameplan.

I don't plan on specializing.

I do like this quote, and followed this throughout dental school. I am currently specializing in Pediatric Dentistry, and have added two more children to my brood.

Dental school is extremely important, but family is more important! Communication is everything, learn when you can spend extra time with the family, and when you really have to buckle down and get to the library. The first two years are really the most gruesome, then it gets better.

 

[OG1]

Orthogunner, what residency did you get into? Do you know if it is common for ortho residencies to pay a stipend?

LSU. During my residency LSU paid about $4k a year, for 2 years, but unfortunately they charge tuition now (still relatively cheap compared to some other schools at $8-10k). It's very rare for ortho programs to pay tuition. If you PM me your e-mail address I can send you a spreadsheet (made 3 years ago, however) that shows all ortho programs in terms of time and net cost at that time.

 

[futuredds08]

For those of you who are in dental school with kids, how are you grades...and do any of you plan to specialize?

I'm just happy that I'll be going to dental school but I've had some thoughts about specializing; the only speicalty that I have an interest at this point is Pedo. But, I'm honestly not sure if I want to specialize...just tossing around the idea.

I don't know if you are wanting a female or a male perspective, but I will provide the female perspective. I had a child while in dental school. My intention was always to specialize (pedo). I am in the top 1/3 of my class and my GPA is 3.8 (we don't publish class rank at our school but the top 1/3 gets scholarships so that's how I know approximately where I rank). I matched in pedo this year and am about to graduate.

You have to be really good about your study habits, but it is doable. I had my son two weeks before finals week. I managed a 4.0 that semester and took finals with the rest of my class. You can do anything you set your mind to.