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i nailed it down to 2 choices and flipped a coin
 
stellastella said:
Hi everyone,

Apologies for the age old "versus" question in advance.

I'm at the point in my undergrad career where I can still flip flop between career choices and not have many repercussions, but that is drawing to a close as I want to decide on one by the end of the summer, join a preprofessional club, and get in substantial shadowing hours under my belt in the next school year.

I've talked to various current students, current professionals, my parents, and friends about this question and Id like to ask for your polite opinions and thoughts, which I'm sure will vary since I will be posting this across many forums topics.


Basically:
-I want to work in health care.
-I want a profession that will allow me to own my own practice.

-Optometry: I originally wanted to pursue optometry and really love the profession, however the impending technology changes (self-online tests?, 1800 contacts, online glasses boutiques) in the very foreseeable future worries me very much and even the increasingly commercialization aspects (lens crafters, walgreens, etc)- to the point of steering me away from the profession. Especially b/c I intend to work in the Bay Area/Socal after graduation.

-Dentistry: My parents work in the field of dentistry, and Ive seen how precision and details really matter in dentistry. I'm not the most comfortable with working in the micro world, and it's always frustrated me when I've had to work with my hands w/ very small materials/spaces. I also am not confident in my ability to be happy when I wake up in the mornings to go to work in a dental office. Mouths dont interest me as much as eyes/the general body.

-Nursing: I would be fine w/ nursing, the only thing that gets me is that I don't think I can own a practice with just a nursing degree.

-Physician: Never seriously considered this, so I don't know too much about it. When I think of physician I think of my pediatrician, a very cranky, serious, old man who drives a Mercedes convertible. 😱

-Pharmacy: Also never seriously considered this, doesn't really interest me as much.



1. Has anyone been in similar situations, and if so what was your conclusion/what profession did you choose?
2. Would you choose to go down the same path again?
3. Are there other medical professions that I am discounting? Please forgive my ignorance if so and be so kind as to share other career options.

Thank you in advance, and I would greatly respect your civility in your responses. Thank you!
Click to expand...
@stellastella
so, my opinion of the matter:

it seems to me like you're only interested because you enjoy the business aspect of owning your own practice. try getting into health consulting and get a masters. get an admin role at a hospital or something.

but if you're still convinced that you want to be a health professional with a practice, look into medicine. the specialties are diverse, but it'll take a lot out of you to get that degree.

it seems to me that you don't want to do dentistry, pharmacy, or nursing.

to answer your questions:

1. chose dentistry
2. yes i would
3. look into PA school. you won't get to own your own practice, but you'll make good $$ working with people after a 2 year masters degree.
or
look into podiatry. very small chance of opening your own practice, as many podiatrists work in hospitals, but you make great $$, and again you get to deal with patients.

and also, don't narrow the rest of your life down to the decision of the coin. have a little more faith in your abilities to make a decision. #endrant
 
Last edited:
stellastella said:
Hi everyone,

Apologies for the age old "versus" question in advance.

I'm at the point in my undergrad career where I can still flip flop between career choices and not have many repercussions, but that is drawing to a close as I want to decide on one by the end of the summer, join a preprofessional club, and get in substantial shadowing hours under my belt in the next school year.

I've talked to various current students, current professionals, my parents, and friends about this question and Id like to ask for your polite opinions and thoughts, which I'm sure will vary since I will be posting this across many forums topics.


Basically:
-I want to work in health care.
-I want a profession that will allow me to own my own practice.

-Optometry: I originally wanted to pursue optometry and really love the profession, however the impending technology changes (self-online tests?, 1800 contacts, online glasses boutiques) in the very foreseeable future worries me very much and even the increasingly commercialization aspects (lens crafters, walgreens, etc)- to the point of steering me away from the profession. Especially b/c I intend to work in the Bay Area/Socal after graduation.

-Dentistry: My parents work in the field of dentistry, and Ive seen how precision and details really matter in dentistry. I'm not the most comfortable with working in the micro world, and it's always frustrated me when I've had to work with my hands w/ very small materials/spaces. I also am not confident in my ability to be happy when I wake up in the mornings to go to work in a dental office. Mouths dont interest me as much as eyes/the general body.

-Nursing: I would be fine w/ nursing, the only thing that gets me is that I don't think I can own a practice with just a nursing degree.

-Physician: Never seriously considered this, so I don't know too much about it. When I think of physician I think of my pediatrician, a very cranky, serious, old man who drives a Mercedes convertible. 😱

-Pharmacy: Also never seriously considered this, doesn't really interest me as much.



1. Has anyone been in similar situations, and if so what was your conclusion/what profession did you choose?
2. Would you choose to go down the same path again?
3. Are there other medical professions that I am discounting? Please forgive my ignorance if so and be so kind as to share other career options.

Thank you in advance, and I would greatly respect your civility in your responses. Thank you!
Click to expand...




If you are young and not working and do not to support any other individuals in your life right now.... Then try this to get a picture of these very different area of health care.


Dentist, medical doctor, pharmacist, optometrist, nurse, or even a dental hygienist.... You should try to shadow their specific areas....

For example

A nurse can be found in any medical setting, so volunteer at a hospital.... Nurses cannot have any private practice thus far.... But they are always needed.


A dentist and dental hygienist can be found in some hospitals, but mostly they work in a private practice, like a regular old dental office..... So volunteer there....


And so on for all those areas....



If tou like teeth and are good with your hands then dentistry and optometry is a safe bet.......

I think medicine and pharmacy also require the most sciences.....


Dental school is the most expensive of your list ......


Volunteer find a niche where you see yourself working or fitting in....

I recommend 200 hours of volunteering to get a good taste of each profession....
Which is equivalent to working one full month, approx.



Good luck
 
@stellastella

playing devil's advocate for a second, financially, dentistry would be the smartest option.

your parents are dentists (presumably with their own practice). yes dental school is expensive, and not worth it unless you get into a public school...but the fact that your parents are dentists really negates the insane price of schooling altogether. you'll not only have a job right out of school, but you'll have a money making practice that's ready for you to take over.
 
Toss in another choice, Nurse Practitioner. The field is moving toward allowing Solo Practices, allowed in almost 1/2 of the states right now and more looking into adopting that option.
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for your time in writing out a reply, I really appreciate your thoughtful inputs.
Apologies for the delay in my own response; it was a little hectic with wrapping up the academic year/moving out/transitioning into summer.

I will look into getting in some shadowing before making an official decision, but a lot of the responses from predents/dentists have been very helpful, kind, and supportive in sharing their reasons as to why they chose (and possibly I should choose) dentistry. Some updated questions for you all:

1) How can I make the best of shadowing so that it is different from a dentist visit/check up?
2) Hypothetically speaking, how strange/nonbeneficial would it be to dental schools to have a huge difference between my oGPA and sGPA? Trying to decide if I should fit humanities classes into my classes every semester bc it would likely raise my oGPA but do nothing for my sGPA (although I do quite enjoy the humanities I could always just join clubs/read on my own to fulfill this side of my interests.)
3) Any opinions/thoughts about science majors that aren't "raw science" (excuse the poor choice in wording, purely for descriptive purposes and honestly am not trying to demean these majors), such as integrative biology, public health, psychology for dental school admissions?

Thank you so much in advance; I really do appreciate your time and opinions!
 
Shadowing is different from a check-up. I went into a dentist's office and asked if I could shadow for a few months and they said," Sure!" So I showed up the next day in scrubs and followed the doctor around from patient to patient. You are the doctor's shadow! You watch all the procedures and ask questions! That's it.
 
1. Shadowing is what you make of it. Some dentists will just have you walk around and observe, some will get you involved in the procedures, suctioning, etc. Last summer the dentist I shadowed did not have me do any physical work with the procedures but he did explain each step, why he did what he did vs another procedure, etc. I learned a lot from him. He as also very good about talking to me about the various practice areas, the pros and cons about the various practice areas, etc. I also had a lot of patient interaction, especially when someone was nervous about being there. They would have me sit with that patient while they were being numbed up for a filling or before to just chat with them and keep them calm. Mostly this was on days when they had Medicaid patients since most of those patients had not been to a dentist in years. This summer, the dentist I will shadow (OMFS) gets you involved in the procedures as much as possible, suctioning, maybe placing some of the amalgam, etc. so you get a feel for the physical work of being a dentist. One dentist I was going to shadow said that he would be happy to have me in the room and watch from the corner...I declined that experience.

2. How big of a difference between the two? There is a chart in Dr. Toothache's posts that shows how much importance schools put on the various aspect of your stats.

3. Your major doesn't really matter. Go with the one that will get you the best GPA while allowing you to complete your pre-reqs.
 
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ajj70 said:
Toss in another choice, Nurse Practitioner. The field is moving toward allowing Solo Practices, allowed in almost 1/2 of the states right now and more looking into adopting that option.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Nurse practitioner is the way to go if you go into nursing. Even as a regular nurse, you will always have jobs available.
 
stellastella said:
Hi everyone,

Thanks for your time in writing out a reply, I really appreciate your thoughtful inputs.
Apologies for the delay in my own response; it was a little hectic with wrapping up the academic year/moving out/transitioning into summer.

I will look into getting in some shadowing before making an official decision, but a lot of the responses from predents/dentists have been very helpful, kind, and supportive in sharing their reasons as to why they chose (and possibly I should choose) dentistry. Some updated questions for you all:

1) How can I make the best of shadowing so that it is different from a dentist visit/check up?
2) Hypothetically speaking, how strange/nonbeneficial would it be to dental schools to have a huge difference between my oGPA and sGPA? Trying to decide if I should fit humanities classes into my classes every semester bc it would likely raise my oGPA but do nothing for my sGPA (although I do quite enjoy the humanities I could always just join clubs/read on my own to fulfill this side of my interests.)
3) Any opinions/thoughts about science majors that aren't "raw science" (excuse the poor choice in wording, purely for descriptive purposes and honestly am not trying to demean these majors), such as integrative biology, public health, psychology for dental school admissions?

Thank you so much in advance; I really do appreciate your time and opinions!
Click to expand...

Regarding the majors, you can major in ANYTHING you want as long as you fullfill the prereqs for the required professional school. A lot of people choose biology because you knock out 2 birds with one stone. HOWEVER... if you don't get in the first time or 2nd time... you may have to go to grad school in order to get a decent job with biology if dentistry is no longer your goal. A lot of my friends have picked public health, nursing (this is the best one here imo), and even health care administration. You would have a very solid back up in case you dont want to do dentistry and it would only take you about a year and a half to 2 years to get your masters and get a great job.
 
ajj70 said:
1. Shadowing is what you make of it. Some dentists will just have you walk around and observe, some will get you involved in the procedures, suctioning, etc. Last summer the dentist I shadowed did not have me do any physical work with the procedures but he did explain each step, why he did what he did vs another procedure, etc. I learned a lot from him. He as also very good about talking to me about the various practice areas, the pros and cons about the various practice areas, etc. I also had a lot of patient interaction, especially when someone was nervous about being there. They would have me sit with that patient while they were being numbed up for a filling or before to just chat with them and keep them calm. Mostly this was on days when they had Medicaid patients since most of those patients had not been to a dentist in years. This summer, the dentist I will shadow (OMFS) gets you involved in the procedures as much as possible, suctioning, maybe placing some of the amalgam, etc. so you get a feel for the physical work of being a dentist. One dentist I was going to shadow said that he would be happy to have me in the room and watch from the corner...I declined that experience.

2. How big of a difference between the two? There is a chart in Dr. Toothache's posts that shows how much importance schools put on the various aspect of your stats.

3. Your major doesn't really matter. Go with the one that will get you the best GPA while allowing you to complete your pre-reqs.
Click to expand...



1. Wow that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for the descriptive shadowing experience! I'll be on the lookout for some dentists who can give me similar rewarding experiences!
2. I'm so sorry to ask, but would you be so kind as to link me to this particular post? Dr. Toothache has many, many helpful posts and I'm having some trouble digging this particular one up!
3. Linking this response with the one below! Thanks : )


Loyoladentalman15 said:
Regarding the majors, you can major in ANYTHING you want as long as you fullfill the prereqs for the required professional school. A lot of people choose biology because you knock out 2 birds with one stone. HOWEVER... if you don't get in the first time or 2nd time... you may have to go to grad school in order to get a decent job with biology if dentistry is no longer your goal. A lot of my friends have picked public health, nursing (this is the best one here imo), and even health care administration. You would have a very solid back up in case you dont want to do dentistry and it would only take you about a year and a half to 2 years to get your masters and get a great job.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help on the major issue! I do agree that biology is very convenient because I would be knocking out 2 birds w/ one stone, and I do enjoy the subject matter. My school doesn't offer a nursing major or a health care admin major; the closest would be the public health major with a concentration in health care administration. I do think PH is quite interesting as well, and may give me a higher GPA than the biology major. However, I think choosing to major in biology is just fine, as long I can take some humanities classes/minor in something non science related to keep me sane. : )
 
Definitely Dentistry
 
stellastella said:
1. Wow that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for the descriptive shadowing experience! I'll be on the lookout for some dentists who can give me similar rewarding experiences!
2. I'm so sorry to ask, but would you be so kind as to link me to this particular post? Dr. Toothache has many, many helpful posts and I'm having some trouble digging this particular one up!
3. Linking this response with the one below! Thanks : )




Thank you for your help on the major issue! I do agree that biology is very convenient because I would be knocking out 2 birds w/ one stone, and I do enjoy the subject matter. My school doesn't offer a nursing major or a health care admin major; the closest would be the public health major with a concentration in health care administration. I do think PH is quite interesting as well, and may give me a higher GPA than the biology major. However, I think choosing to major in biology is just fine, as long I can take some humanities classes/minor in something non science related to keep me sane. : )
Click to expand...

Public health with health care administration is great too! It's a great field and you can even do public health dentistry 🙂
Biology is fine too. Def do some shadowing for each respective career and then make your choice. 🙂
Good luck friend!
 
I was going to say dentistry but it doesn't seem that you like it at all 🤔
 
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