How does a med student go DENTAL?

hondo55 · Sep 28, 2004

Hello-

I would like to ask you all how one could go to dental school after having started medical school. I am currently in medical school and am strongly considerring leaving to go to dental school. At this point in my life I feel that dentistry has more flexibility and a greater amount of autonomy than medicine. I know that I have heard of people making a switch but I am not sure how they did it or what the best way to do it is. Please write if you have any ideas on this!!!

ItsGavinC · Sep 28, 2004

The ONLY way to do it is to take the DAT and then apply to dental schools via the same route that everybody else does.

The ONLY exception to this would be if your current medical school has a dental school associated with it, and you can swing something on the inside that way. This may be possible based on your MCAT scores or something like that, but I'm not sure.

Other than that you have to start over at square one just like everybody else.

How far along are you in med school though? If you have completed your first year then I'd stick to it and earn the degree and then apply to dental schools if you desire. My thought on that is that you've already made it much farther than many pre-med students do, so you might owe it to yourself to simply earn the degree. Other variables factor in, of course, like money, family situation, etc. But if *I* was in a med program I'd finish it out, even if I had no desire to practice. Easier said than done, I'm sure. 🙂

hondo55 · Sep 29, 2004

Yes, it is easier said than done... I am in my first year so I am thinking that continuing until I finish would not serve me if I was sure I did not practice medicine. Also, finishing for the sake of finishing is great if there was not a high monetary investment (160,000+). I would definately do that if in another program bf changing directions. If you have any more ideas I would greatly appreciate it!!

ItsGavinC · Sep 29, 2004

Okay, so you are a first year. You'll need to study and take the DAT, and then apply to schools. It *may* be possible to take the DAT still this year and then apply this year, although your application may be getting a bit late. By doing it this application cycle you'll run into the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday sludge, meaning adcoms won't get around to reviewing your application until January/February.

On the other hand, you could apply next year (applications begin in May), and then you'll have to wait an entire year to matriculate.

LestatZinnie · Sep 29, 2004

Autonomy and flexibility still exists in medicine, you just have to pick the right specialty eg plastic, dermatology, ophthamology. The more elective procedure you do the more decision you can make for yourself.

However those specialties are usually competitive since 'lifestyle' is very important to med students nowadays. so you can study your butt off and cross your fingers hoping that you won't end up in primary care, internal medicine, or one of the more demanding fields.

hondo55 said:
Hello-

I would like to ask you all how one could go to dental school after having started medical school. I am currently in medical school and am strongly considerring leaving to go to dental school. At this point in my life I feel that dentistry has more flexibility and a greater amount of autonomy than medicine. I know that I have heard of people making a switch but I am not sure how they did it or what the best way to do it is. Please write if you have any ideas on this!!!

DcS · Sep 29, 2004

ItsGavinC said:
How far along are you in med school though? If you have completed your first year then I'd stick to it and earn the degree and then apply to dental schools if you desire. My thought on that is that you've already made it much farther than many pre-med students do, so you might owe it to yourself to simply earn the degree.

I am failing to understand that reasoning at all. Had the guy finished 2 years, then MAYBE i can see gutting it through. Basically, if he wants to switch you think he should endure 3 more years of med school, 3 more years of tuition, and shorten his working career in dentistry 3 years just because he "owes it to himself"?! I mean, say he is 23, he can be a dds when he's 27, or go through 3 more years of med school, burn himself out and be 30. I completely disagree with that reasoning. If it's not for you, get out while you can.

LestatZinnie · Sep 29, 2004

DcS said:
I am failing to understand that reasoning at all. Had the guy finished 2 years, then MAYBE i can see gutting it through. Basically, if he wants to switch you think he should endure 3 more years of med school, 3 more years of tuition, and shorten his working career in dentistry 3 years just because he "owes it to himself"?! I mean, say he is 23, he can be a dds when he's 27, or go through 3 more years of med school, burn himself out and be 30. I completely disagree with that reasoning. If it's not for you, get out while you can.

I agree wholeheartedly. This reminds me of something my old accounting prof used to say. He said he saw students all the time who felt they're in the wrong faculty/major, and when he asks them why don't they do something about it, they'd tell him that they're in their 3rd year already and want to just finish it, which doesnt make sense to him because that extra year they spend to finish something they have no desire for could be better used to start something they really want to do.

the big wand · Sep 29, 2004

In my school, dental and medical students have virtually the same curriculum during the first two years, except dental students have to take additional dentistry course load.

Having said that, dents can switch to 2nd-year meds very easily in my school, as long as their marks are excellent for that first year. By the same token, meds can switch to dents, but they will be required to take those first-year dentistry courses during their second year.

LestatZinnie · Sep 29, 2004

mcgill has combined med/dent too for first year and half but switching in either direction is not possible.

so are there many people who switch at u of a??

the big wand said:
In my school, dental and medical students have virtually the same curriculum during the first two years, except dental students have to take additional dentistry course load.

Having said that, dents can switch to 2nd-year meds very easily in my school, as long as their marks are excellent for that first year. By the same token, meds can switch to dents, but they will be required to take those first-year dentistry courses during their second year.

the big wand · Sep 30, 2004

Not many.

In class 2006, there is one from med to dent, but I think that person did the switch before the first-year summer session starts, so he only needed to squeeze in a few easy first-year dentistry courses to his schedule.

There's also one from dent to med, but I can't remember which year. Maybe class 2006 too (or class 2005?); that's why the faculty could accommodate their requests...I guess.

This January, we had a UofA med graduate joining us, so our class became 33 instead of 32. Basically, if you want to switch at UofA, do it before the first summer session, otherwise you have to start from the beginning. Summer session is really intense, compared to medical curriculum in fall & winter. Anyway, that med doctor left during the summer session, once he was accepted into family medicine by a school. It was a shocking news for most of us then.

hondo55 · Oct 4, 2004

Thanks for everyone's ideas. Sure its is always good to "finish for yourself" but at this point I think finances and willingness to chase the end goal trumps things in this situation. I still want to be more confident in this before I pursue this. It is helpful to here from you all in offering advice when thinking about a switch.

How does a med student go DENTAL?

hondo55

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ItsGavinC

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hondo55

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ItsGavinC

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LestatZinnie

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DcS

damn the red baron

LestatZinnie

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the big wand

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LestatZinnie

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the big wand

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hondo55

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