Medicine to dentistry

[Noclue14]

Hey all,
I am currently a 4th yr med student (DO) who, for multiple reasons, desires to switch from medicine to dentistry. I was wondering if there are any accelerated programs that would allow me to do so without starting over from the very beginning. I am in the top 1/3rd of my class, have scored well on all board exams and clinical rotations, multiple publications, ect., however I do not desire to pursue medicine any further after graduation. Subsequent shadowing experiences throughout my 3rd and 4th yr in various dental specialties interests me much more. I've done several searches but can't find what I am looking for. I appreciate any help or advice someone could provide.
Cheers

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[Sublimazing]

Hey all,
I am currently a 4th yr med student (DO) who, for multiple reasons, desires to switch from medicine to dentistry. I was wondering if there are any accelerated programs that would allow me to do so without starting over from the very beginning. I am in the top 1/3rd of my class, have scored well on all board exams and clinical rotations, multiple publications, ect., however I do not desire to pursue medicine any further after graduation. Subsequent shadowing experiences throughout my 3rd and 4th yr in various dental specialties interests me much more. I've done several searches but can't find what I am looking for. I appreciate any help or advice someone could provide.
Cheers

ignoring the eventual replies about "why" you've made this decision...assuming this is your route no matter what then two suggestions

1.) Start emailing dental schools with your exact situation. See if they'll allow you to skip the core sciences and take an accelerated version of the clinical courses taught in years 1+2. I would start with schools in the geographic area you want...and then contact the schools that have an ATTACHED DO school (the mid westerns/ATStill)...then just blanket if those both flop

2.) Apply to UoP...it's 3 years...and boom you're a general dentist...shorter than any residency you would've pursued as a DO

 

[sgv]

I can't imagine what astronomical debt we'd be talking about...are we talking about close to a million dollars in debt?! DO ($300,000) + DDS ($340,000 @ UoP) is $640,000 @ 6.8-7.9% interest. Maybe around $44,000 in yearly interest alone. What if you're one of the rare 1% of people don't have the hand skills for dentistry?

 

[hugomaaf]

I have read that somewhere have dual DO and DDS program, unfortunately I do not remember where.

U may want to look into different school to see they have that options or not.

 

[sgv]

I have read that somewhere have dual DO and DDS program, unfortunately I do not remember where.

U may want to look into different school to see they have that options or not.

it's NOVA

 

[Noclue14]

Thanks to all that have replied. I had checked on the dual degree programs, NSU-COM in Florida has a dual degree DO/DMD program. Unfortunately you have to be a incoming 1st year to apply for it.

 

[hugomaaf]

Thanks to all that have replied. I had checked on the dual degree programs, NSU-COM in Florida has a dual degree DO/DMD program. Unfortunately you have to be a incoming 1st year to apply for it.

Never hurt to call them to ask do they take someone like u, u never know.

 

[Robert L. Middleton]

Transfer from medicine to dental is rarely considers applications for transfer; if so, they are considered at the beginning of the second year only, on a case-by-case basis.

 

[Flashes23]

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but may I ask why your jumping the medicine ship? Being top 1/3 couldn't you just shoot for landing into one of the more lush specialties?

 

[Silent Cool]

Hey all,
I am currently a 4th yr med student (DO) who, for multiple reasons, desires to switch from medicine to dentistry. I was wondering if there are any accelerated programs that would allow me to do so without starting over from the very beginning. I am in the top 1/3rd of my class, have scored well on all board exams and clinical rotations, multiple publications, ect., however I do not desire to pursue medicine any further after graduation. Subsequent shadowing experiences throughout my 3rd and 4th yr in various dental specialties interests me much more. I've done several searches but can't find what I am looking for. I appreciate any help or advice someone could provide.
Cheers

How much debt do you have?
Why not go into anesthesia?

 

[Noclue14]

Thank you to all the responded. I tried calling around to several programs but it does not look like an accelerated program is feasible. To answer some of your questions.
Although I am in the top 1/3rd of my class, I am uninterested in the "lush" specialties (I am assuming you are referring to many of the ROAD specialties.) As to why I am contemplating jumping ship, there are aspects of medicine that I have experienced throughout my 3rd and 4th year that have confirmed that a career in medicine is not one I should have pursued (I would go in to detail about theses experiences, however that would be an extraordinarily long post). Truthfully, if I had done more research prior to applying I would not have applied. My initial interests were in attending dental school, but I had a great mentor (who was an MD) in the lab I was working in who talked me into to applying to medical school. I never really lost the interest, I continued to shadow various aspects of dentistry even while in med school. Including informal rotations in OMFS and several oral surgery research projects. If I am unable to switch to dentistry through an accelerated program, I may just apply to a traditional pathway. As to the debt, I am fortunate to not have any.

 

[free99]

Now you've really got my attention, would you mind giving us the spark notes of your experiences that turned you off of Medicine? What is so drastically different about dentistry that has you convinced you won't experience a similar environment? I have very little experience in either, as I just started school a month ago, so I'm not being facetious. I'm genuinely curious. @Noclue14

 

[hugomaaf]

Same here,

I am hoping to get in dental school this cycle and my wife just started med school. I am very interested to ur story

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2013-guide-mini-guide-to-dental-school-admission.942453/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2012-credit-allowance-for-md-ph-d-dh-other.944361/

 

[CMistry]

As far as I know there are no official abbreviated tracks for people such as yourself. The best answer you will find is by calling a few select schools you are interested in and finding out if there is any laxity in their curriculum that will allow you come in with advanced standing. The reality is that you will most likely have to do all 4 years.

 

[gryffindor]

Most students entering dental school will not be specializing. You need to be comfortable being a general dentist because getting in a specialty is not guaranteed. Especially if your exposure to dentistry is from OMFS experiences.