Academia

[Stanford Fencer]

I am almost through with my first year at UCSF. Just wanted to know if there are folks on this board who are seriously considering the academia after graduation. There's been a lot of recent threads on postgraduate plans, so I thought I'd chip in and add another voice (and find others who are on this route).

One more exam, and I start research soon.... really can't wait

Just praying that I get enough going so that I can leave in August for Istanbul. I'm going to start to write my book.

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[FMLizard]

Just out of curiosity, what makes you want to choose academic dentistry?

With state budget cuts being what they are, most dental professors have been suffering wage cuts and freezes, along with reduced benefits and longer working hours. They can consider themselves lucky, as they are scarce enough to be able to avoid layoffs. This is at the same time when their private practice colleagues who were already making considerably more are making more money than ever. If nothing else, I would think the student loans would make me not want a career in academia. If a school were to give me a free ride in exchange for a few years of academic service, I would be all for it. Many of us will have too much debt to be able to even consider that career option. It is a problem with no easy answers, as higher professor salaries will lead to higher tuition and a vicious cycle.