SillyRabbit said:
La Miraflorina:
Hey, it seems like you're on the right track. Just one thing. I'd recommend applying in June and taking the DAT anytime before the end of august. This will enhance your chances of getting earlier interviews because the application takes several weeks to process. But the DAT can be sent in a matter of a couple days if not immediately transmitted to the schools. Good luck!
I didn't realize you could apply before taking the DAT! Can anyone out there explain the application timeline? What's the latest date I can take the DAT if I apply in June?
And not that this will do much good to stop the ridicuolus banter going on about pre-meds vs. pre-dents, but I feel the urge to say it anyway:
I'll tell you the main reason why I decided to drop my pursuit of medicine.
I've lived in a 3rd world country where the medical system was just a hair shy of being 100% socialized. People there believed that they deserved medical care, no matter how depraved they were. The poorer they were, the more care they deserved, so they thought. Can you imagine how much people respected doctors there? Doctors were no more than public servants who were "noble" because they were giving themselves away for the "greater good". And meanwhile, most doctors lived just above the poverty level. In fact, as a teacher I worked alongside many doctors because they weren't making ends meet as physicians. I also met doctors... as they drove me in their taxis.
I returned to the US, disgusted... only to find that my fellow Americans disrespect doctors just as they do in the 3rd world. The only difference is, there are enough wealthy people here to make up the difference when doctors are forced to give away their services for free or at severely discounted prices. So thankfully, they are able to command higher than average salaries, but not nearly what I would call "compensation" considering the 90+ hours they work each week.
I actually spoke with a lady who hadn't saved for her retirement but had landed a health plan that she proudly called, "free-care". She went to the best doctors in the best hospitals and clinics. She had multiple surgeries. And of course, numerous brand-name prescription drugs, all for free. The thing that burned me was how proud she was at herself for being a part of this plan. She never once mentioned the doctors, whose services and time she was using. She never wondered WHO was actually paying for her care. She apparently missed that day in kindergarten when they teach us that nothing is for free in this world.
Somebody has to pay...
Soon after meeting that dispicable woman, I received a call from a "medical plan", because I, too, was on the hunt for insurance. Here's what the plan boiled down to: I pay them $170 a month. Anytime I want to visit a doctor, I call them first. Their "patient advocacy committee" then calls the doctor of my choice and dickers with him until a much lower price is agreed upon. I then go to the doctor and pay the severely reduced fee in cash, which, the agent explains, the doctors love. "Why," I ask, "would the doctor prefer to be paid only a fraction of his normal fee?" "Because," she answers, "under real health insurance policies, doctors don't get paid for nearly six months, and even then, it's a reduced amount." I thanked the b*tch and mulled that over in my head for a few days. Something in that conversation had struck a very deep nerve, but I couldn't figure it out just yet. Not fully believing the plan was for real, I called a doctor's office to inquire. The receptionist assured me they accepted the plan and, in fact, had many patients on it.
It was then that I realized the true mentality of people in this country... and around the world. Doctors are people who sacrifice their lives for the rest of humanity. They study harder than anyone else, sleep less than anyone else, and save more lives than anyone else. And what is the thanks they get? Patients who would rather pay some crooked insurance company $170 a month than pay a doctor the same amount for actually performing a service for them. And why do the doctors accept that kind of abuse? Because they aren't paid well by normal insurance companies anyway. They've accepted their status in life as the servants of humanity. I normally don't have pity for people who have willingly done this to themselves. But knowing the kind of dedication, perseverence and intelligence it takes to become a doctor, and knowing nearly all doctors head into the profession with the best of intentions, I have tremendous respect for each and every one who has persevered, despite finding themselves in the trap.
I realized I just couldn't submit myself to being a servant. While "medicine" is currently headed in the wrong direction, dentistry, as far as I know, is as it should be. Dentists work extremely hard, most do excellent work and they still enjoy life at any age. And no, it's not just about the money. For me, the added bonus is that I'll be able to do detail work with my hands, just as I had always wanted to do as a surgeon. I can't think of a better career than dentistry...
