applying to both dental and medical school?

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guest

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How does applying to both dental school and medical school affect admission decision?

Relevant info:
junior at UNC-CH 3.51 Biology B.S.
planning to take mcat in april and dat after that sometimes.
activities:
loads of research
predental club
campus crusade for christ
habitat for humanity
national honor society

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YOU ARE GOING TO GET A LOT OF HEAT FOR THIS QUESTION.
 
No heat from me!

Guest,

Good luck to you, I see that you have a year left until you graduate from college, keep up the GPA and good luck on them standardized exams! Dental and Medical are both great profession worlds, but very different. I hope you find your passion and get into what you are motivated about. Admissions committee at some dental schools WILL preceive applying to both professions as a negative and question your motivation.

Have you shadowed/observed in a dental private office yet? You may very well convert all the way to dentistry after some time seeing what dentistry has to offer.

:clap:

MCAT is in two weeks! Is that the one you're taking or is it next April? Best wishes!

:cool:
 
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i've shadowed a dentist before, I got to watch fillings, crowns, and "castings". And I've been to the dentist a million times for cleaning, orthodontics, fillings, a root canal and for extracting my wisdom teeth. And yes the april mcat is the one I'm taking.
 
I know Temple Univ does not even look at ppl who apply to both, according to the director of admissions for Dental school. If you do apply to both be sure to check "NO" in the AASDASS application to are you applying to any other health professions.

Hope this helps
Vikas
 
Yah-E
You are a bit disconnected from reality I believe on this...not just some schools will think it is a negative; all of them will. No school wants to invest in someone who is so unsure of what they want to do that they are applying to two completely world-apart (let's be honest here) professions. Both professions require that you know for sure what you want to do so that they arent making a bad investment of resources. Why would a dental school accept someone that is not sure they want to go to dentistry over someone who is? Many would even say that the whole interview process is to find out who most WANTS to be a dentist because this will naturally make someone work hard to achieve his/her goals. I would say with relative certainty that in most cases, when a dental school has to choose between two equal (in GPA+DAT) candidates, the one they will choose is the one they think is most completely and solidly committed to a dental career. Someone who is applying to both types of schools clearly is not one of these applicants, and thus will not (in most cases) be given a high priority in acceptance. I would never advise anyone to apply to both types of school, knowing what I do now about the process.

Guest,
Through all of this I am not saying you wont get in anywhere but my advice would be to choose one before you apply to both; spend enough time in both settings so that you can decide what you want your life's work to be. Deciding what you want to do with your life AFTER the application process will make your life a lot tougher. It will make you a less serious appearing candidate, make your life very difficult at any interviews you get, cost you a ridiculous amount of money (MCAT+DAT fees +application fees+interview trips, etc.), and will also put you through a lot of unnecessary stress.
I used to think medicine was great, then I decided to go into something really interesting-dentistry. Maybe the same will go for you, maybe not, but make those decisions before you apply!!
 
Jon,

I'm a bit out of reality, psss...I hope so...I've been drinking some cold ones! I'm just stating what I know and what I know is "some" dental schools will bluntly tell you that they don't like applicants applying to both Medical and Dental schools. I can not speak for "ALL" dental schools because I have not experienced "ALL" dental schools and I highly doubt that you have!

It is obvious that no dental schools would accept an applicant that is unsure of which profession that (s)he wants to get into, but I personally only know "some" dental schools that religiously denies applicants that are applying to both professions. I can only speak for the schools that I've experienced with. As far as disconnected from reality....I'm trying with my great tasting brew-ha-ha! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
 
Dear Guest,

Here's a thought: extend your arm down between your legs, open up your hand, grab a hold of your hair, and pull your head out of your dingus.

What kind of ignoramus posts such an asinine question on this particular forum?

If you've spent ANY time following a dentist, which you claim you have, and ANY time talking or working with physicians, you'd understand the WORLD of difference between the two professions.

Here's another idea for you: while you're sending applications to dental schools and medical schools, why don't you send some out to Masters programs, pharmacy school, maybe some law schools, heck how about a few optometry schools as well.

Better yet, why don't you go with my first piece of advice and just get a ****ing clue.

Peace.
 
That last post was harsh but the message is correct. It will make your life alot easier if you just decide what you want to do. It will also keep your wallet in good health also. Do some observations/soul searching and decide what field is calling you. Do you really want your hands in someone's mouth 24/7? It takes a certain type of person to want to do that.

- Vikas
 
I took the MCATS and even applied to some med schools....I marked I took the MCATS on the AADSAS and all the interviewers who interviewed me knew about this. They all asked me about it, and I told them truthfully about the situation. Hey I got into 3/4 schools I applied to and currently I am finishing up my first year at USC. I think this means that not ALL schools look down on applicants like me.
 
Melbourne-you crack me up! Your candor is appreciated.

Now just because one (or 25) got in applying to more than one type of school doesnt mean its a good idea! True, if one is an excellent student and really impresses interviewers (ie must be able to charm them with speech), the school may overlook the fact that they arent 100% committed to dentistry. But I stress the word MAY!! They wont like it, and, as I said previously, a school wont choose that type of applicant over one that they know is committed. You cant count on the fact that some get in to insure your own success; that idea ("well, a friend of mine did it, so why cant I?") may be the thing that really screws you out of being accepted.
It is always so hard for me to believe how someone can be applying to schools before knowing what they want to do with their life. It seems to me that priorities should be rearranged. With most things in life, it is good to spread yourself around in order to maximize your chances of succeeding. With professional school, I think that is a bad idea-dont just apply everywhere you can just to be called "doctor".
Guest, I hope you succeed, but I would suggest you spend a bit more time observing else you find yourself with a lot more stress than you need.
 
Although my opinion is against it, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into and actually see yourself doing that for the rest of your life, then go for it. I don't think it would be HELPING your application, but if you know what you're doing, then go for it.

ps did I mention I don't like when people do this :wink:
 
Argghh.....I'm sorry, but these type of people really bother me. I'm so tired of even my own friends who get a couple of crappy grades early in college and they conveniently switch to pre-dent because they figure they can get in easier.

Pick one!!! Take some time out and shadow both MDs and dentists. They are EXTREMELY different professions...there IS a distinct contrast.
 
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I've decided to focus soley on Dentistry. I will be applying this summer and taking the DAT this spring/summer. Thanks for everybody's input. :clap: :clap:
 
guest
Good choice! I really am confident you will be happy with that and your interviews won't have that added stress. Where all will you apply? I am from App State in Boone and just got in for this next year...I may be able to help you with some southern schools, though I ended up choosing UConn. Good luck with your application!
 
I will be applying to UNC-CH. Then I'll be applying to some other backup schools, I'm not sure where though, since I've been looking to medicine the last three years. I hope dentistry is as fun as I think it will be, I've only been shadowing the dentist for a short time, and its been ok. I hear rumors that dentists have the highest suicide rate, is this true? And one time I was working in the dental clinic at the hospital and the dental assistant/hyginist told me to avoid dentistry and become a medical doctor. I had no idea why she told me that, can someone enlighten me?
 
Everyone has to decide for themselves if dentistry is right for them. Some people will of course have opinions and may discourage you but you have to determine if you like the field. I am sure they are plenty of doctors you could talk to you and tell you to stay out of the medical field, it just determines on the person.

- Vikas
 
That stat about dentist suicides was a ridiculous one taken way out of context from long ago. Dont believe everything you hear. "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics."
Why would someone tell you to avoid dentistry? I really couldnt tell you. Think of some of the following:
1)The average salary for general dentists is higher than that of physicians!
2)No internship or residency unless you want to or you specialize
3)Dentistry is not dominated by HMO's that run medicine and tell physicians how to treat their patients; by in large dentistry is still a private-practice field
4)No one will die on your table
5)You get to own your own business, decide your own hours, and decide with whom you will work, instead of being told what to do by a hospital (that doesnt apply to all physicians)
6)Dentists form strong relationships with their patient base; some physicians never really get to meet their patients, especially now with the insurance industry requiring less personal time be spent between doctor and patient
7)You can make ridiculous amounts of money
8)It is much easier to have time for your family rather than being on call constantly

If thats not enough, please, go into medicine!! Physicians do great things as well, just different things.
 
Good luck to you on the DAT and applying to dental school! I think you made a great choice.

I actually applied to med school 2 years before interviewing/applying at dental schools and was definitely asked at each of my interviews why I changed from med to dent. I got accepted at all but one school that I interviewed and that was b/c I think the interviewer thought that I was choosing dentistry only b/c I didn't get accepted to med school. This is true to some extent b/c I had never previously considered dentistry until after applying to med school but I had a lot of time BEFORE applying to dent. schools to see that dentistry is the best profession for me. Besides, everyone has the right to change their minds, don't they?!!
Applying simultaneously just shows that you can't decide on either career and are confused.

Again, good luck!
 
I'm also struck with the dilemma of having the mcat in two weeks. Is it better just to have it cancelled?
 
guest,

First off, the comment from that hygenist means nothing, I've had numerous MDs who've told me they're jealous about my going into dentistry...all those comments (from both sides) should be taken with a grain of salt.

I'll be teaching the summer Kaplan DAT course at Chapel Hill (starting at UNC this Aug.) Let me know if you'd like to meet up and get some pointers on the exam and apps :cool: ...
 
If you already paid for the MCAT you should take it anyway. It is a character building experience! You will be thankful when you take the DAT and compare it to the MCAT, it might even provide a self-evaluation of your skills for the DAT. The sections are different but still a good review.

- Vikas
 
You can definitely apply to both dental and medical schools at the same time. And you have to check "yes" on the addsas app., because the schools could easily find out you are lying. I applied to MD, DO, and DMD schools this year. I got interviews at all of them. I interviewed at Tufts den., NYU den, UMDNJ den, U. of Florida den, Nova dental, PCOM, and USUHS-md. If you get asked on a dental school interview why you are applying to both, just say dental school is your first choice and you believe that becoming a dentist is a more direct route to a medical profession. But remember you can't defer admission to dental school. So you better make sure that if this becomes your only option, that you will be satisfied with it. And by the way preparing for the MCAT helps you a lot on the DAT. I got a 27 on the MCAT and a 20 on the DAT.

Good luck!
 
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