Anatomy...Should I take it?

[CalDent09]

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I was just wondering should I take anatomy this semester?

I graduated from college already and will be heading to dental school this fall. Should I take the class to prepare me for the dental school anatomy or should I just take it easy and enjoy my time off?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[salem21]

I wasn't too excited about taking anatomy myself, but one of the schools I was applying to required it. I got into the less rigorous class, but I did think it was quite useful. Some of the material would have been nice to have before the DAT... The main benefit is gaining a familiarity with the "language" of anatomy; words like proximal, distal, dorsal, ventral become second nature. Dental anatomy throws in some new vocabulary, but its a much smoother transition, and instead of learning a new language, you can learn about the mouth. The second benefit is an introduction to the skull, which is far more complicated than I thought. Dental school will obviously go into more depth, but having a framework built will make learning the new specifics significantly easier. A lot of anatomy will be in the first year of dental school, when the classroom is particularly tough. Having a background in a class is extremely valuable. I'd recommend it as long as your school's anatomy class isn't insanely difficult.

 

[redchesus]

I would take it.

As salem21 said, some schools require it. I've also talked to some dental students, the ones that hadn't taken it had a rough time with it. The ones who'd seen it before knew what they were getting into and knew how to manage their time. I took it and yeah, it was rough but at least now I know what to expect.

 

[interesting]

If your acceptance is not contingent on it, I would recommend saving the money by not taking the class and just self-studying anatomy. Except if you find it enjoyable interacting with people in a classroom setting.

 

[golf05]

I'm taking it and love it-- it's very useful and interesting. I'm surprised that many schools don't require it, actually! I would take it if I were you. It will give you a good base so you're not struggling to memorize the in depth stuff plus the basic stuff come your first semester of 22 credits. You'll touch on histology, cell bio, microbio and immunology in addition to the A&P.

 

[CalDent09]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all of your replies.
The new language from antomy is overwhelming, but I think it will definitely help me out in the long run.

 

[bigstix808]

If your acceptance is not contingent on it, I would recommend saving the money by not taking the class and just self-studying anatomy. Except if you find it enjoyable interacting with people in a classroom setting.

yea, what they said. they'll teach you ever thing you NEED to know. some of the basic vocab can help, but save your money and buy an old text book, flip through it, and you'll be surprised how much will stick.

 

[teh dentist]

i'm wondering if i should take an anatomy and/or histology course this summer as well.

i've touched on histo and there soo much info, i don't want to be behind in school. 😎

 

[New2Philly]

Both anatomy and histo would probably be good. I am taking anatomy right now, but my University doesn't have a histo course. I think that this will help me with the work load in my first year.

 

[prsuser]

I would highly recommend taking it....but understand that it will not even come close to D-school anatomy. We did the entire body at WesternU; and it was very challenging to say the least.

 

[thebagg28]

I had never taken any anatomy coming into D-school. It is extremely challenging because of the massive amounts of material. Taking a class wouldn't be a bad idea but you might want to enjoy your time off if possible. Instead of using the money on the class, go on a nice vacation and buy an old Netter. Learn the basics on your own. The hardest parts for me were the skull (and what comes out where), the Cranial Nerves (including all the branches), and the forearm (many schools don't even do the upper limb). If you can go into school with a basic understanding of these topics you will be fine.


ENJOY YOURSELF b/c next year is going to be difficult whether you take the class or not.

 

[teh dentist]

I had never taken any anatomy coming into D-school. It is extremely challenging because of the massive amounts of material. Taking a class wouldn't be a bad idea but you might want to enjoy your time off if possible. Instead of using the money on the class, go on a nice vacation and buy an old Netter. Learn the basics on your own. The hardest parts for me were the skull (and what comes out where), the Cranial Nerves (including all the branches), and the forearm (many schools don't even do the upper limb). If you can go into school with a basic understanding of these topics you will be fine.


ENJOY YOURSELF b/c next year is going to be difficult whether you take the class or not.

great advice. Thanks alot.

 

[ECUMuscle]

Coming from a former anatomy TA, and after taking gross anatomy as a grad student, I can tell you that this class will take up an extremely large part of your study time, so it's a good idea to get a jump on things. You'll want to enjoy your summer of course, but who said you can't look at a Netter while getting a tan. Gross anatomy goes into a deep amount of detail. The above poster gave some good advice. I would make myself familiar with the anatomical terms and different skin and muscle layers first, then try to become familiar with the names of the nerves and blood vessels, and their respective region (especially in the head and neck). It might not make sense at first, but it will once you dissect the cadaver and see everything.
Good luck.

 

[jay47]

I would highly recommend taking it....but understand that it will not even come close to D-school anatomy. We did the entire body at WesternU; and it was very challenging to say the least.

Really? Our anatomy was tougher in undergrad, although it was taught at the Veterinary school....

 

[Major Groove]

Why not take it?

Anything to make your first year less hectic!

 

[Futuredds2010]

Why not take it?

Anything to make your first year less hectic!

unless its comparative anatomy then your screwed...who cares about learning about teleosts? lol