Advice

[ammarsfound]

Hi all,

I just got back from a medical internship in Nepal. Long story short, a couple of experiences there led me to consider that dentistry might be a better match for me than medicine. Obviously I was premed until very recently.

I've learned that the prereqs for med school and dental school overlap. This is fine, I finished them a while back. I have also been informed that my experiences in medicine will also help, rather than hinder, my application to dental school. My GPA is pretty high ( more than a 3.7, less than 4.0) and I go to a very good school. I'm a Biomedical Engineering major so I have some experience with "manual dexterity" (which the aadaas application at least seems to put some emphasis on). I haven't taken the DAT yet. My recommendations (which my writers have written for med school) are probably very strong.

The problem: Applications go online in two months and I haven't started studying for the DAT or shadowed any dentists. I had some minimal contact with dentists in Nepal but they were serving in incredibly underserved areas and (i think) hardly represented the lifestyle of an American dentist.

I know that dental schools generally require at least fifty hours of shadowing. I also know that you're supposed to apply as early as possible. So. Would it be feasible for me to shadow fifty hours a week while taking classes and studying for the DAT?

Also, I've heard that you can submit your application in, say june, but take the DAT all the way in september. Does this hurt your application at all? Also can you make the fifty hour shadowing quota after you've submitted your application?

Thanks for your help. And I wish everyone luck in the admissions cycle!


( I forgot to mention that I was a junior).

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[pumpUup]

2 months should be enough for DAT especially when you have a good understanding of science (with your high GPA I assume).

If I were you, I would starting shadowing right now and apply before July.

 

[ammarsfound]

Thanks pumpUup.

Any idea if taking the DAT after turning in my application will hurt my chances?

 

[pumpUup]

Thanks pumpUup.

Any idea if taking the DAT after turning in my application will hurt my chances?

No, it's ok to submit your application first and then submit your DAT score later. A lot of people do that.

What's going to hurt is if you take your DAT after July. Finish everything before August to be safe. Even if you take your DAT on July 31st, it takes about 2~3 weeks until schools receive your score.

I would suggest you to finish application before July and take DAT no later than July 15th.

 

[dent2014]

Hi all,

I just got back from a medical internship in Nepal. Long story short, a couple of experiences there led me to consider that dentistry might be a better match for me than medicine. Obviously I was premed until very recently.

I've learned that the prereqs for med school and dental school overlap. This is fine, I finished them a while back. I have also been informed that my experiences in medicine will also help, rather than hinder, my application to dental school. My GPA is pretty high ( more than a 3.7, less than 4.0) and I go to a very good school. I'm a Biomedical Engineering major so I have some experience with "manual dexterity" (which the aadaas application at least seems to put some emphasis on). I haven't taken the DAT yet. My recommendations (which my writers have written for med school) are probably very strong.

The problem: Applications go online in two months and I haven't started studying for the DAT or shadowed any dentists. I had some minimal contact with dentists in Nepal but they were serving in incredibly underserved areas and (i think) hardly represented the lifestyle of an American dentist.

I know that dental schools generally require at least fifty hours of shadowing. I also know that you're supposed to apply as early as possible. So. Would it be feasible for me to shadow fifty hours a week while taking classes and studying for the DAT?

Also, I've heard that you can submit your application in, say june, but take the DAT all the way in september. Does this hurt your application at all? Also can you make the fifty hour shadowing quota after you've submitted your application?

Thanks for your help. And I wish everyone luck in the admissions cycle!


( I forgot to mention that I was a junior).

I recommend you shadowing first so that you know FOR SURE you want to commit to dentistry. It will save you a lot of unnecessary work if you happen to realize that dentistry is not for you in the end.