Anyone else feelin this lately?

[redicon1]

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Three months into my yr 1 as a dental student I am completely burnt out. Not just from the daily pace of things (which by the way is really unbelivable both in content and the concurrent depth expected in exams) but from constant sense of discouragement -- studying my butt off for an exam just to discover that I failed it by two points, studying dental morphology for an entire weekend and scoing the least possible percentage in the whole class... and to top it all my maxillary incisor wax prop was rejected three times in a row.
Now this is not about me slacking off or not trying to study smart -- just the fact that it has pushed me to the edge in terms of what I can take...are there others of you who feel the sense of anxiety about having borrowed a ton of money and still being made to feel so uncertain, about trying your best to understand a 50 slide powerpoint lecture just to see that the eventual exam question was some bull**** detail on the fine print of slide 39? or the fact that some of the classmates will hound you after every quiz, exam or a pissing break and demand to know how you did? Or about the immature (and my god, really old school) Profs who sometimes just stop making sense?
Anyway I keep reminding myself that it can't go any lower but wanted to share with the board the feelin that it's hurtin.
peace out...

 

[drPheta]

In a sense, I feel the same way. Albeit, I'm probably currently in the top of my class. However, this isn't because I want to be the best in the class. I try extremely hard to do well because I want to GUARANTEE, or damn well try to guarantee, that I pass these 4 years. I feel as if I'm going to fail the next exam, or my waxup will not pass, or my cavity prep is too ugly. But, I try my best to not let that get in the way of my productiveness.

The effort has paid of (luckily) for me, and I think a lot of the succes has to do with my confidence to succeed and calm nature.

I do not stress very much, and when I feel it building, I do whatever relaxes me:
- go for a drive
- play with my dog
- call my gf
- listen to music and do nothing else
- cook a quick snack.
- surf SDN 😀
- reflect on how I got here, and how much harder it was to get here than it is to be here.

Regardless of how well I'm doing, I still study as if I can fail the course. I still take exams with a calm attitude, and I DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED.

What it seems like is you need to learn how to effectively study again. You're letting the stresses and frustrations of 1st year jumble your thoughts.

Find out how professors give exams. Find out what resources there are. Talk with upperclassmen about your courses and how to pass them. Talk to the upper classmen and faculty for tips on wax-ups, cavity preps, articulator mounts, whatever. There are tons (and literally TONS) of resources out there for every class and project you do. It's just a matter of knowing which ones to use and how to use them effectively. Also, try recording lectures and listening to them again during your lunch break, or when you have the time/need/desire to do so.

Everyone learns differently, and that's why not all that is available at your disposal is good for you.

BTW: I don't feel burnt out...yet, because I'm enjoying every bit of this. Gross anatomy is immensely interesting and fun. Dental anatomy and operative dentistry are probably the best classes we have now (in my opinion).

I don't know if you like what you do cause you're good at it, or if you're good at what you like. Who knows, but the relationship is exteremely important.

Try to have fun, and it won't seem like a chore anymore and burn you out.

NOW GO OUTSIDE AND SEE THE LUNAR ECLIPSE...IT'S 8:30 EST RIGHT NOW.

 

[MsPurtell]

I've definitely had these feelings......and I still do sometimes. All I can tell you is that the awful feelings eventually pass with each small success you reach. Try to focus on the things you've accomplished. I know it's frustrating, but what you are feeling will pass.

 

[UBTom]

to Redicon1:

As long as you keep up your efforts, do the best you can and pass the courses, when you are a 4th year you will look back on your freshman experience and laugh! 😀

In addition to DrPheta's (good) advice, you should look for a circle of classmates for mutual support. You are not going through it alone-- Everyone in your class are probably experiencing the same emotional rollercoaster to some degree. Get together, compare notes, exchange hints and tips on doing those preclinic lab stuff like how to get the right contours for your waxup. You are all in it together.

Trust me. I've been there.

Good luck!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Redicon,

Just take some comfort in the fact that you guys only have 50 Powerpoint slides to look at.

I think we're averaging ~200, and some of our courses have had over 700 slides.

But to address your topic: I was burnt out after a month, now, in my 19th week, I'm feeling great. That came because I realigned my priorities, and found study methods that work for me. I know for a fact that I study less than 80% of my classmates, yet I score better than 60-70% of them. Find what works for you.

I'm completely stress-free (for the most part), and loving it!

Above all, remember that your skills as a dentist are NOT tied to a grade! Who cares if you get the bottom grade every now and then. Heck, getting the lowest grade a couple of times each semester isn't even going to hurt you.

BTW, do yourself a favor and stop listening to the professors. They'll only confuse your natural learning style and make you more confused. I promise your scores will go up 10+ points just by tuning them out.

Good luck, and recognize that many students across the nation have the same feelings you do. You aren't alone!

 

[tanwe461]

Hi Redicon:
Believe me you are not the only one who feels this way. I guess this is the same for Dental students around the world!
Sometimes we are bound to not reap what we have sowed...
I don't know about the US system, but here we have components where our mark is based on how well you suck up to your teachers! Believe it or not...and it's a bloody 10% for that! And guess what, they gave me a 3% just because I didn't suck up to them. What kind of injustice is this may I know?
I failed a couple of tests as well...in classes called Oral Histology by you guys...but bottomline is, at this juncture in life, our aim is to get through Dental school as good as we can. It would be great if we can get good grades and all..but the final most important thing is that you get through this year and go to 2nd year for you. The classes that you are going to sit for the next few years are more interesting. Like someone said above, Anatomy is really fun..though it's hard learning all the whatever arteries and cranial nerves that we have in the Head and Neck.
Just hang in there and don't get discouraged with whatever negative outcome that may come along. We are all going through the same thing. From time to time, some of us may feel burnt out and wonder why are we doing this course and not something else easier, perhaps MBA....( oopps, don't let any MBAs out there see this, but let's face it...😎 )
Remember that at the end of the day when you receive your DDS, you will be the proudest man on earth and am glad that your hard work pays off. When you read back what you have written earlier, you might just let out a laugh and see how silly you were then! Good luck!

 

[ct005ke002]

Don't ever feel you are dump. The school picked you that means you are capable to be there. I know many schools like to pound on 1st year students and push them to the limit. After your first year, you will understand why they do that. They want you to get used to the pace. You will pick it up without noticing. You are among the smartest people in your class. Perhaps your are not the smartest as you think, yet you are still very smart. You can bank on that.
All I like to say is that dental school is tough, but it was not impossible. I finish with my 1st year with 2 young kids. I came to my school with nothing in my apartment. I am also an international student and english is my 2nd language. My wife was extremely home sick and she was constantly depressed. One more thing, my family back home was hit by SARS badly. Financially speaking, I had to end up finding a part time job to finish up my 2nd semester. YET.... I finished my 1st year. 2nd year is way better.
People have different talents, if you are not good at waxing, perhaps you are good at something else. If you are not good at basic science, you may have good hand skill. Trust yourself and move on.
There are people out there who can encourage you and help you. You will be able to find many in your school. Also, there are many immature kids in your class, cutting their throat and try to discourage other and be competitive, just ignore those people and find the one that can help you. One thing tough, if you want to specialize, just ignore what I say and keep cutting your throat.
Keep it up fellow

 

[bucktooth]

Medical students feel it too. They wish they weren't medical students (but love it anyway). Dental students wish they weren't dental sudents (but still love it anyway). In a sense, you're doing what you're doing, even if it doesn't seem enjoyable, because you choose to do it out of passion. Don't forget why you're in dental school...that is to become the best damn dentist/advocate for your patients. Cheer up, and hope things go better for you.

 

[ddstothecor]

Yes. I came in with lofty goals, and have failed miserably at attaining them, thus far. I've put in plenty of time only to see some others surpass me in every way. It's life, I guess, and I'm sick of comparing myself to others or trying too hard.
Still, it's endless days and nights of study, simply out of fear of failing, or coming into an exam, and not knowing[\I] that I, at least, won't fail (all exams except practicals -we have one tomorrow).
Now, lest I get anxious, will I retire to my study to study harder. Or, something.

The only thing I really do to keep me going is to always visualize the end of two years of misery, and yearn to improve, and be the best that I can possibly be. Less than that, is the only failure I can truly reconcile.

BTW, good to talk to you again, my fellow SDNers - now back to the dungeon!!!! 😡 😡 😡

 

[ItsGavinC]

dds,

I feel your pain. I'm studying for an Immuno. exam that we have tomorrow morning. Back to work...

 

[ddstothecor]

Good luck Gavin!

 

[rpalmer]

This time of year, especially up north, folks can suffer from depression. You are indoors most of day and spend a lot of time under artificial lights. Also, many of you stay up late in dark room with a lamp.

? You need sunlight! Find a way to make it outside into natural light at least once a day for an hour. This will not only help you physically, but emotionally too.
? Take this time to form good habits. Eat healthy snacks. Get up from computer and stretch now and then, learn to meditate, listen to uplifting music, etc...
? And find a great place to forsee your future. Check out www.dentaltown.com.
There are a lot of dentists who can encourage you to keep on truckin'.
This board is great, but it's nice to talk to others who have already crossed the finish line, now and then.
? Keep the blood flowing and take care to weed out toxic relationships who only instigate and prohibit positive habits. If you can learn this now, you will find much more success in the future.

Take care,
Rebecca

 

[sjdent]

I'm a second-year, and I want to tell you that at least several times in every quarter, I feel like I'm going to fail at least one class, sometimes more. And I HAVEN'T!!! Am I a genius at the top of my class? Absolutely NOT. Probably middle-bottom.

If you're studying your ass off, you'll do fine.

What I've learned is....the only people who fail are the ones that quit trying. You aren't going to do that.

I am burned out. Very, very burned out. It comes with the territory. Some people have an easy ride through dental school. I struggle a lot, but all you can do is wait for breaks and just take it a day at a time.

You WILL feel stupid some days. However, some days you'll feel GREAT after you did well on a test or had a teacher tell you that your crown prep was the best he's seen all day.

I doubt this was very helpful to you, but just letting you know you're not alone and it's possible to make it through dental school.

Remember, everyone is scared at some point, some just don't like to talk about it.

 

[StarGirl]

Originally posted by sjdent
I'm a second-year, and I want to tell you that at least several times in every quarter, I feel like I'm going to fail at least one class, sometimes more. And I HAVEN'T!!! Am I a genius at the top of my class? Absolutely NOT. Probably middle-bottom.

If you're studying your ass off, you'll do fine.

What I've learned is....the only people who fail are the ones that quit trying. You aren't going to do that.

I am burned out. Very, very burned out. It comes with the territory. Some people have an easy ride through dental school. I struggle a lot, but all you can do is wait for breaks and just take it a day at a time.

You WILL feel stupid some days. However, some days you'll feel GREAT after you did well on a test or had a teacher tell you that your crown prep was the best he's seen all day.

I doubt this was very helpful to you, but just letting you know you're not alone and it's possible to make it through dental school.

Remember, everyone is scared at some point, some just don't like to talk about it.

well said 🙂 (and if worse comes to worse... you'll just have to make up that exam/class/year...as long as you make it out w/ your degree😛 )

sjdent....just wonder, what school do you go to...(i'm guessing you're from san jose)

 

[tinker bell]

I am not sure if it's the "public school syndrome" or it's common for both private or public.

At my famous school, biochem classes are taught by biochem dept. of the graduate division. And the whole school shares those ppl. Dental school is second grade to med, and we have second hand treatment and second hand resources. I could not believe myself how the teaching quality can be. Especially their cruelty, not in my entire life I have met those kinds of suckers and it's stink up to high heaven. Our classmates and I do not even want to talk about them any more because they are impossible to work with. After the test we had today, we all frustrated. I felt bad for my friends who didn't do well on those stinking exams (like what kind of biochem class makes you design a cloning experiment?) We got out of the test room swearing that we would never do that kind of dirty crap on anyone (even our worst enemy).

Even I have no problems with most of my classes because of my science background, I really feel disgusted when I think how my friends suffer. It's like you study a lot to only find out you are a mere mediocre.

The tension in my biochem classes is so bad that on Halloween, the instructor passed out cookies, and some didn't even take it. Some took one just to be polite. You guys can tell how terrible it feels.

And every time we fill out evaluation after every period, we fill it out bad. I look around and saw everyone writes the whole page.

If I knew it was this bad, I would have spent my summer studying for the test out exam rather than suffering with those terrible people.

We all agree that we are glad we are not biochemist, because we don't want to be their colleagues.

Just so you guys all know how bad it is. And it can happen anywhere, even at a place that should be good (at least teaching elementary biochem)

 

[ItsGavinC]

In regards to what Tink posted: our professors come in from all over the country. We've had them from Med schools in 7 or 8 states at this point. We've had some great teachers, some blah teachers, and some really horrible teachers.

None of them have been "hard to work with," so to speak, probably because we only have them for a week and then they're gone. So if they are horrible, we only put up with them for one week (or two), take the exam, then move on.

But I do feel your pain. It's tough to learn in school when the professor puts a damper on the teaching.

 

[tinker bell]

Gavin, I think it's best to go the AZ's way. Select the cream of the crop, top of the field, get the best out of them, then send them off on the plane with a big fat check and a thank you note.

The only down side of that is you don't have access to the expert if you need to. But hey, at this point, all we need to do is stuff our head with things and pass the board. We are not trying to patent any clone here.
😱 😱 😱

 

[ddstothecor]

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate wax.
It's not over, it never will be over, all it does is bend me over.

 

[groundhog]

Regarding Tink's post. Hey the bio-chem folks are just sending a clear message to the medical and dental students .."we are biochemists and you are not." That is life in the real world. They likley sees themselves as the ones who do all the real heavy lifting that is involved in making new discoveries. The health care professions just have to learn and apply what has already been discovered, researched, and tested. Oh yes... cookies on Halloween....I love it...trick or treat. I bet there would have been no cookies on Valintine's Day.