Average in Dental School is okay!

[Dr IWannaBe]

As a freshman almost 2 months into the year, I am realizing that my definition of success has quickly evolved. If I get a 3.1 or 3.2 that will be an accomplishment with the volume of work thrown on us! And if someone gets a 2.5 and it's their best, more power to them! Part of being successful in D-School is the management of a curriculum that seems to have a student all over the map especially when classes start in the middle of a semester! What happens is that because you have so much to study and not very much time, your studying is more "concentrated" but you may still end up with a C or B and for many this can be devastating. Not for me! I am quickly realizing that it really is just a long marathon and finishing will be a major accomplishment!

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[OceanDMD]

As a freshman almost 2 months into the year, I am realizing that my definition of success has quickly evolved. If I get a 3.1 or 3.2 that will be an accomplishment with the volume of work thrown on us! And if someone gets a 2.5 and it's their best, more power to them! Part of being successful in D-School is the management of a curriculum that seems to have a student all over the map especially when classes start in the middle of a semester! What happens is that because you have so much to study and not very much time, your studying is more "concentrated" but you may still end up with a C or B and for many this can be devastating. Not for me! I am quickly realizing that it really is just a long marathon and finishing will be a major accomplishment!

So, mediocrity is OK. I am going to have to disagree. If my grades were ever in the lower half/lower third, personally I had a major problem.

 

[Cold Front]

So, mediocrity is OK. I am going to have to disagree. If my grades were ever in the lower half/lower third, personally I had a major problem.

I agree.

But when you have a matriculating class with 3.6+ GPA, and during dental school their average GPA continues to be high (even if the lowest GPA in the class is 3.4), I wouldn't say those at the bottom of the class have "major" problems.

 

[desert rat]

Unless you want to specialize grades don't have much meaning. A person who graduates at the bottom is still called Dr.

You would be supprized at how many famous speakers in dentistry had very bad dental school grades.

You would be more supprized by how many top students fail their national and regional boards.

 

[loved]

As a freshman also 2 months into school, my definition of success has also evolved. As a pre-dent, it was to get the best grades possible. Now as a dental student, it is to pass my classes and become the best dentist possible.

 

[Dr IWannaBe]

So, mediocrity is OK. I am going to have to disagree. If my grades were ever in the lower half/lower third, personally I had a major problem.

No, on the contrary. Nothing to do with mediocrity. It's just that, as many would agree, it's a whole lot easier to get a 3.5/3.6 in undergrad than in Dental school. That's all I'm saying. And if the highest 1/3 of a class has an average of 3.7, the middle 1/3 has avg of 3.5 and the lower 1/3 of the class hovers around 3.3, I hardly think this is mediocrity.

 

[UCSF2012]

Unless you want to specialize grades don't have much meaning. A person who graduates at the bottom is still called Dr.

You would be supprized at how many famous speakers in dentistry had very bad dental school grades.

You would be more supprized by how many top students fail their national and regional boards.

I would be what?

 

[Imanee]

As a freshman almost 2 months into the year, I am realizing that my definition of success has quickly evolved. If I get a 3.1 or 3.2 that will be an accomplishment with the volume of work thrown on us! And if someone gets a 2.5 and it's their best, more power to them! Part of being successful in D-School is the management of a curriculum that seems to have a student all over the map especially when classes start in the middle of a semester! What happens is that because you have so much to study and not very much time, your studying is more "concentrated" but you may still end up with a C or B and for many this can be devastating. Not for me! I am quickly realizing that it really is just a long marathon and finishing will be a major accomplishment!

I agree. The amount of information covered at once in d-school is crazy. You are expected to memorize 10 lectures in 1 week and then take an exam while still attending classes Monday thru Friday. I don't know how people do both. I find myself ditching class to study for the week's exam. I know it sounds horrible, but I need the time to really digest the info. to do well on the exam. One thing I have learned as a dental student is that everyone has a different style of learning. Some people need to go to class. Some can just study at home w/out going to lecture. Others go to lecture but still don't get much out of it. Yet they attend b/c they feel guilty if they don't go. Some desperately want to learn in lecture but feel lost or do poorly despite their efforts. I thought I was ready to handle the workload in dental school, but no matter what type of student you are or think you are, dental school will be a shocker. It is a lot of work. I think other people can agree. This is just my personal experience. I guess we can all get to the end of the marathon, but it effects everyone differently.

From a D1

 

[armorshell]

Unless you want to specialize grades don't have much meaning. A person who graduates at the bottom is still called Dr.

You would be supprized at how many famous speakers in dentistry had very bad dental school grades.

You would be more supprized by how many top students fail their national and regional boards.

Just to play devil's advocate a little, if you were to ask any person on the street who the most famous dentist in the world was, there's a good chance they would say Bill Dorfman from Extreme Makeover. Bill Dorfman who graduated in the top 3% of his class. Arthur Dugoni graduated number 1 in his class. I can't speak for Gordon Christensen but I'm sure he did just fine.

I only post this because I often feel on SDN and dentaltown its made to seem that being at the top of your class is inversely associated with clinical success and success in the "real world", which I haven't found to be true at all. I don't even know how you could get to the top of the class without excelling clinically and in patient management.

 

[Guy Smiley]

Just to play devil's advocate a little, if you were to ask any person on the street who the most famous dentist in the world was, there's a good chance they would say Bill Dorfman from Extreme Makeover. Bill Dorfman who graduated in the top 3% of his class. Arthur Dugoni graduated number 1 in his class. I can't speak for Gordon Christensen but I'm sure he did just fine.

I only post this because I often feel on SDN and dentaltown its made to seem that being at the top of your class is inversely associated with clinical success and success in the "real world", which I haven't found to be true at all. I don't even know how you could get to the top of the class without excelling clinically and in patient management.

While I certainly agree with you that being in the top of your class doesn't make you a poor dentist, I wish you wouldn't use Dr. Dorfman as an example of the most famous dentist. While he is famous, I think the work of his I have seen on the internet and in presentations is mediocre at best and oftentimes, poor. I know that I am not alone in my sentiments. For a class lecture on esthetics, one of our teachers pulled up his website and we discussed the esthetics of the results of his cases, and most of the comments made were not positive.

 

[OceanDMD]

While I certainly agree with you that being in the top of your class doesn't make you a poor dentist, I wish you wouldn't use Dr. Dorfman as an example of the most famous dentist. While he is famous, I think the work of his I have seen on the internet and in presentations is mediocre at best and oftentimes, poor. I know that I am not alone in my sentiments. For a class lecture on esthetics, one of our teachers pulled up his website and we discussed the esthetics of the results of his cases, and most of the comments made were not positive.

Nothing like a dental class and professor critiquing the work of Bill Dorfman. Im sure you could find flaws in most esthetic cases, but to make a statement like Dorfmans work is "mediocre at best and oftentimes poor" is a bit much. Ask your professor to show his veneer or reconstruction cases.

Im not saying getting a 3.3 in dental school is bad, Im just saying that I would personally have a problem finishing in the lower 1/3 of the class. Its a Pride/ego thing. But hey, if you are ok with it, whatever floats your boat. Just dont let that mentality creep out into the real world.

 

[DrJeff]

Nothing like a dental class and professor critiquing the work of Bill Dorfman. Im sure you could find flaws in most esthetic cases, but to make a statement like Dorfmans work is "mediocre at best and oftentimes poor" is a bit much. Ask your professor to show his veneer or reconstruction cases.

Im not saying getting a 3.3 in dental school is bad, Im just saying that I would personally have a problem finishing in the lower 1/3 of the class. Its a Pride/ego thing. But hey, if you are ok with it, whatever floats your boat. Just dont let that mentality creep out into the real world.

+1

Academic succes in d-school doesn't always directly correllate to clinical success in private practice. But academic success is very often directly related to work ethic and that is a big factor in post d-school success.

As for the Dorfman factor. Take issues if you want with his clinical results. What he does do is satisfy the WANTS of his patients, and what many dentists will find, is that what looks GREAT to a patient, you'll have some issues with the esthetic details yourself. Personally, if it's clinically functional AND the patient is happy with the esthetics, that's a successfull case in my book. And I guarentee you, that if you do restorative dentistry (direct, fixed and removeable) that you'll finish many a case where esthetically you'll have issues with it (shape, chroma, value of the color, etc) BUT the patient will LOVE it.

One other thing about Bill Dorfman, I think it's safe to say that the MAJORITY of students/dentists out there COULD learn ALOT from him about business marketing!

 

[desert rat]

You need to factor in that some dental schools are harder than others and some schools a 2.7 would be equal to a 3.4 in others.

If you compare high grades with clinical performance you need to realize most people in the top of the class end up as specialists. Gordon Christionson is a specialist so we should hold him to a higher level than a general dentist. Bill Dorfman is a great person not just a quality dentist. Most dentists don't have their work out in front of other dentists to judge. Also extreme makeover is not about the best dentistry or the best long term for a patient. It is about the best fst result. Many times Bill wanted to do different tx, but due to time had to do alternatives.

I can tell you that most dentistry is learned after you graduate from dental school. What you should be good at coming out of school is knowing dentin from enamal, minimal crown and bridge and simple surgury. Even the students at the bottom of the class can take CE in a non stressful way and learn the skills to do more advance work. Alot has to do with the way the instructor teaches.

Little of the first two years of dental school academics has to do with the way we treat patients. These are tough courses to weed out the people who will become specialists. Clinical courses are the only courses that really determine how a person will perform, and that depends on the instructor teaching.

 

[Contach]

As a student in my final year of undergrad, hoping to go to Dental school next year.. I feel it is very depressing to think that my next 4 years will be a repeat of the rat race I am just finishing. It saddens me to think that the work doesn't seem to stop and I won't have a break. I hope "mediocrity" is something I will be content with, but honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be able to deal with this. Furthermore, I've been getting through my undergrad thinking there is something good coming up: dental school. And while the subjects and content will be more interesting than first year English that I am currently taking, it is disheartening to think that 'the something good' maybe isn't all that relaxing afterall. I have another 4 years to get through before that happens.

 

[desert rat]

Yes, it was 4 years of studying till midnight, no vacations because having to study for exams or boards. Constant backstabbing and screwing over by fellow classmates. People not sharing inside information they had, seeing cheeting by fellow classmates, clinical instructors playing favorites, psychotic instructors, mean instructors, theft galore of personal items, etc.

It was 4 years of hell that I would not want to repeat, but yet I miss parts of it.

I worked part time and raised a child while my wife and I both attended dental school in a state with no family or friends.

Some schools are more friendly than others and are easier.

 

[HuyetKiem]

So, mediocrity is OK. I am going to have to disagree. If my grades were ever in the lower half/lower third, personally I had a major problem.

same here... I would jump out of my apartment (7th floor) if my class rank dip below 25%.

 

[WannaBeDentist]

Yes, it was 4 years of studying till midnight, no vacations because having to study for exams or boards. Constant backstabbing and screwing over by fellow classmates. People not sharing inside information they had, seeing cheeting by fellow classmates, clinical instructors playing favorites, psychotic instructors, mean instructors, theft galore of personal items, etc.

What d-school did you attend? just so I can recommend no one to go there...

My limited experience so far resembles NONE of that...well except for the studying but that's a given of any school.

 

[beannaithe]

As a freshman almost 2 months into the year, I am realizing that my definition of success has quickly evolved. If I get a 3.1 or 3.2 that will be an accomplishment with the volume of work thrown on us! And if someone gets a 2.5 and it's their best, more power to them! Part of being successful in D-School is the management of a curriculum that seems to have a student all over the map especially when classes start in the middle of a semester! What happens is that because you have so much to study and not very much time, your studying is more "concentrated" but you may still end up with a C or B and for many this can be devastating. Not for me! I am quickly realizing that it really is just a long marathon and finishing will be a major accomplishment!

I think you have the right mindset to be a success in dental school. None of your patients are going to ask you if you can recite the Krebs cycle or not. Get through the first year with the best success you can manage. When you hit second year and begin the clinical portion, make sure you can learn everything that you possibly can.

I spent my first year worrying about grades in my basic science classes over my drilling classes because they were worth more....my preps weren't all that good and spent more time getting me up to a point where I was ready for 3rd year. Second year, I spent far more time in my drilling classes and my hand skills improved exponetially while my grades in basic sciences were good but not great. After hitting clinic in 3rd year, I've noticed the hours I spent in preclinic learning amalgams and crown preps really helped.

Not one person has asked me to recite the Krebs cycle, but I've had to drill 5 class 2's and 1 class 5 in 2 months of being in clinic.

So make sure your hand skills are average to above average and if you're up for specializing make sure your preclinic grades are in the top 20%. If not, hand skills above average and get through the preclinic stuff. Grades don't matter, but learning the material so you can talk to the patient about what's going on and diagnosing them fully does. Life is not a multiple choice exam..learn the material so you do well at that, not picking between a and c.

 

[NSDDS]

The thing is your dental education will never end. Even after you graduate, the finest dentists are those who keep up with technology, take CE courses and those who have a good business sense. Now I don't know if there's a correlation between those who do "well" in school to those who continue their dental education after graduating, but logically I would think so. For those of you who wish to specialize, grades are far and above more significant than those who want to do general, although it's always nice to do well and have that option at the end of four years if you choose to do so.

 

[rkamsterdam]

same here... I would jump out of my apartment (7th floor) if my class rank dip below 25%.

though I realize you are being facetious. this is unfortunately the sad reality that many dental students, and dentists live in. No wonder suicide rates and drug abuse is rampant. Guys and girls out there-doing subpar in dental school is not the end of the world. People are starving in the third world and for you a C in biochemistry is worth your life! if worse comes to worse, drop out of school. In the grand scheme of things your life is still better off than the majority of people, even americans, living out there, i would imagine. you are fortunate to be a living, well-fed, intellegent American.

To those who disagree with the OP, you're living in an unrealistic world and have put unrealistic expectations upon yourselves. You're unfortunately a symptom of 1st world wealth and capitalism - where stress induced cardiovascular disease will without a doubt be the cause of your untimely death.

Relax and realize that average in dental school is no doubt exceptional none the less. To the OP - enjoy yourself and work hard, but dont do it at the expense of your health and sanity.

 

[Contach]

The thing is your dental education will never end. Even after you graduate, the finest dentists are those who keep up with technology, take CE courses and those who have a good business sense. Now I don't know if there's a correlation between those who do "well" in school to those who continue their dental education after graduating, but logically I would think so. For those of you who wish to specialize, grades are far and above more significant than those who want to do general, although it's always nice to do well and have that option at the end of four years if you choose to do so.

It's not that I don't want to stop learning: learning is great and I love it. It's the volume and intensity of learning that we must uphold to excel that I would want to eventually get away from. Life has to be more relaxing than the rat race we call school.

 

[UCSF2012]

though I realize you are being facetious. this is unfortunately the sad reality that many dental students, and dentists live in. No wonder suicide rates and drug abuse is rampant. Guys and girls out there-doing subpar in dental school is not the end of the world. People are starving in the third world and for you a C in biochemistry is worth your life! if worse comes to worse, drop out of school. In the grand scheme of things your life is still better off than the majority of people, even americans, living out there, i would imagine. you are fortunate to be a living, well-fed, intellegent American.

To those who disagree with the OP, you're living in an unrealistic world and have put unrealistic expectations upon yourselves. You're unfortunately a symptom of 1st world wealth and capitalism - where stress induced cardiovascular disease will without a doubt be the cause of your untimely death.

Relax and realize that average in dental school is no doubt exceptional none the less. To the OP - enjoy yourself and work hard, but dont do it at the expense of your health and sanity.

If you understand she's being facetious, why're you pretending to work for a suicide hotline?

 

[Enso]

What d-school did you attend? just so I can recommend no one to go there...

My limited experience so far resembles NONE of that...well except for the studying but that's a given of any school.

Yea I want to know what school they went to as well... we do you go?

 

[Enso]

though I realize you are being facetious. this is unfortunately the sad reality that many dental students, and dentists live in. No wonder suicide rates and drug abuse is rampant. Guys and girls out there-doing subpar in dental school is not the end of the world. People are starving in the third world and for you a C in biochemistry is worth your life! if worse comes to worse, drop out of school. In the grand scheme of things your life is still better off than the majority of people, even americans, living out there, i would imagine. you are fortunate to be a living, well-fed, intellegent American.

To those who disagree with the OP, you're living in an unrealistic world and have put unrealistic expectations upon yourselves. You're unfortunately a symptom of 1st world wealth and capitalism - where stress induced cardiovascular disease will without a doubt be the cause of your untimely death.

Relax and realize that average in dental school is no doubt exceptional none the less. To the OP - enjoy yourself and work hard, but dont do it at the expense of your health and sanity.

+1

Good post!

 

[Shunwei]

As a student in my final year of undergrad, hoping to go to Dental school next year.. I feel it is very depressing to think that my next 4 years will be a repeat of the rat race I am just finishing. It saddens me to think that the work doesn't seem to stop and I won't have a break. I hope "mediocrity" is something I will be content with, but honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be able to deal with this. Furthermore, I've been getting through my undergrad thinking there is something good coming up: dental school. And while the subjects and content will be more interesting than first year English that I am currently taking, it is disheartening to think that 'the something good' maybe isn't all that relaxing afterall. I have another 4 years to get through before that happens.

My friend, you have no idea what a rat race really is . . . . You need to get out in to the real world to see what cutthroat really means. What people see in dental school is just petty politics and interpersonal relations, which you will see *everywhere* you go. If you take a healthy prospective and see it as a stage, it's nothing. Just do your best in school and have a balanced, fun lifestyle as much as possible. It really isn't that bad.

 

[canada5]

I believe that there is no statistical significance showing that Dentists have a higher suicide rate than that compared to the normal population. Female physicians, and white males from the southwest do in fact have a statistical significance. Read the literature.

One thing that I have noticed about those that are top in my class is that they are unhappy, sleep/sex deprived, unsocial, have horrible hand skills, and almost all of them have gained at least 10 lbs (which is the funniest thing in my opinion). The person that is last in our class will probably be the most successful private dentist because of his personality and his ability to communicate with people on their level, not because he is some freak robot that has to memorize BULL and LUBL for occlusion instead of just thinking about it for a second. I have only stayed up past 11:30 one time during my time at dental school studying for an exam and laugh at all the premature aging that people inflict on themselves just to get two more questions right than me on a written exam. Find balance with your life. The people on here that talk about work ethic are going to be the same people that never take off work to go on vacation because all they can think about is the enormous opportunity cost with leaving their practice for a couple of weeks. I dare say that they might also be the type that would choose work over family. They are taking the same stance that MD's take.....that dentists are mediocre, that we settled just because we chose something different for ourselves. Dental school can be funner than undergrad, you just have to find you groove.

 

[Shunwei]

I believe that there is no statistical significance showing that Dentists have a higher suicide rate than that compared to the normal population. Female physicians, and white males from the southwest do in fact have a statistical significance. Read the literature.

One thing that I have noticed about those that are top in my class is that they are unhappy, sleep/sex deprived, unsocial, have horrible hand skills, and almost all of them have gained at least 10 lbs (which is the funniest thing in my opinion). The person that is last in our class will probably be the most successful private dentist because of his personality and his ability to communicate with people on their level, not because he is some freak robot that has to memorize BULL and LUBL for occlusion instead of just thinking about it for a second. I have only stayed up past 11:30 one time during my time at dental school studying for an exam and laugh at all the premature aging that people inflict on themselves just to get two more questions right than me on a written exam. Find balance with your life. The people on here that talk about work ethic are going to be the same people that never take off work to go on vacation because all they can think about is the enormous opportunity cost with leaving their practice for a couple of weeks. I dare say that they might also be the type that would choose work over family. They are taking the same stance that MD's take.....that dentists are mediocre, that we settled just because we chose something different for ourselves. Dental school can be funner than undergrad, you just have to find you groove.

Well said. To me, balance is always the key word in the game.

 

[rkamsterdam]

Well said. To me, balance is always the key word in the game.

yes, yes balance or moderation.

 

[Lopyswine]

I believe that there is no statistical significance showing that Dentists have a higher suicide rate than that compared to the normal population. Female physicians, and white males from the southwest do in fact have a statistical significance. Read the literature.

One thing that I have noticed about those that are top in my class is that they are unhappy, sleep/sex deprived, unsocial, have horrible hand skills, and almost all of them have gained at least 10 lbs (which is the funniest thing in my opinion). The person that is last in our class will probably be the most successful private dentist because of his personality and his ability to communicate with people on their level, not because he is some freak robot that has to memorize BULL and LUBL for occlusion instead of just thinking about it for a second. I have only stayed up past 11:30 one time during my time at dental school studying for an exam and laugh at all the premature aging that people inflict on themselves just to get two more questions right than me on a written exam. Find balance with your life. The people on here that talk about work ethic are going to be the same people that never take off work to go on vacation because all they can think about is the enormous opportunity cost with leaving their practice for a couple of weeks. I dare say that they might also be the type that would choose work over family. They are taking the same stance that MD's take.....that dentists are mediocre, that we settled just because we chose something different for ourselves. Dental school can be funner than undergrad, you just have to find you groove.

I take it you found science classes to be funner than grammar?

But I completely agree with the points you make.

 

[canada5]

I take it you found science classes to be funner than grammar?

But I completely agree with the points you make.

I dont recall taking a grammar class in public school. Maybe you could teach me eh?

 

[HuyetKiem]

I believe that there is no statistical significance showing that Dentists have a higher suicide rate than that compared to the normal population. Female physicians, and white males from the southwest do in fact have a statistical significance. Read the literature.

One thing that I have noticed about those that are top in my class is that they are unhappy, sleep/sex deprived, unsocial, have horrible hand skills, and almost all of them have gained at least 10 lbs (which is the funniest thing in my opinion). The person that is last in our class will probably be the most successful private dentist because of his personality and his ability to communicate with people on their level, not because he is some freak robot that has to memorize BULL and LUBL for occlusion instead of just thinking about it for a second. I have only stayed up past 11:30 one time during my time at dental school studying for an exam and laugh at all the premature aging that people inflict on themselves just to get two more questions right than me on a written exam. Find balance with your life. The people on here that talk about work ethic are going to be the same people that never take off work to go on vacation because all they can think about is the enormous opportunity cost with leaving their practice for a couple of weeks. I dare say that they might also be the type that would choose work over family. They are taking the same stance that MD's take.....that dentists are mediocre, that we settled just because we chose something different for ourselves. Dental school can be funner than undergrad, you just have to find you groove.

wow... Where did you go to school at ? Those top people in my class at Case were either happily married or party freaks. Most of them also had high production rates in the last 2 clinical years. I don't even remember how many bottle of JD that I had consumed in 4 yrs of dental schools. It was a great time. Haven't drank much since graduation

 

[canada5]

wow... Where did you go to school at ? Those top people in my class at Case were either happily married or party freaks. Most of them also had high production rates in the last 2 clinical years. I don't even remember how many bottle of JD that I had consumed in 4 yrs of dental schools. It was a great time. Haven't drank much since graduation

Schools keep getting nerdier, and nerdier. The top in your class would probably only be in the top 30% in my class. Not much to write home about.

 

[emc2a]

I'm sure some of us choose to work hard now so that we can spend even more time with our families and hobbies later. I wouldn't assume those working their ass off in dental school don't want or don't understand the concept of balance in their lives; perhaps they understand it even moreso. I'm sure an orthodontist working 2 days per week will be able to find more balance than a dentist working 3.5 days per week. Not that either one is bad. Both are fantastic.

But I do not fault those who are top of class in dental school. If they are top of class, they are surely bright enough to understand the concept of balance.

Don't forget that you have to explain this same concept to your buddies who also can't understand why you'd even go through dental school. They are likely viewing you in a similar light.

And yes, average in dental school is okay. It all depends upon your goals. Sometimes you simply don't want or need more. Being a dentist is good enough. Everybody has a different perspective.

 

[jmick101]

I am just going to chip in my 2 cents.

I graduated summa in undergrad but in dental school I am right in the middle of the class, and I am fine with it. I study a lot, but I dont freak out. I did crappy on boards, but I passed first time, and I am fine with it. I enjoy my time with my kids as well as spending time with my wife. Generally speaking, I do what I need to at school while spending as much time as possible with my family. I would love to say that I am sacrificing grades for family time, but that is not really true. The caliber of students here are such that to be middle of the pack is still relatively good company. Coming to grips with being average was sort of jarring, but was refreshing afterwords.

One thing that I have noticed is that those at the top of the class are not "nerds" or "gunners." They are not anti-social or anything like it. They are gifted, hard working, highly intelligent folks who are kicking a@# in school. They usually have goals that require them to exceed the standard and that is cool. My point is that being comfortable with others success doesn't necessarily mean we are embracing mediocrity. It's kinda like what Dirty Harry said "a mans gotta know his limitations."

 

[lotexigeus]

I am just going to chip in my 2 cents.

I graduated summa in undergrad but in dental school I am right in the middle of the class, and I am fine with it. I study a lot, but I dont freak out. I did crappy on boards, but I passed first time, and I am fine with it. I enjoy my time with my kids as well as spending time with my wife. Generally speaking, I do what I need to at school while spending as much time as possible with my family. I would love to say that I am sacrificing grades for family time, but that is not really true. The caliber of students here are such that to be middle of the pack is still relatively good company. Coming to grips with being average was sort of jarring, but was refreshing afterwords.

One thing that I have noticed is that those at the top of the class are not "nerds" or "gunners." They are not anti-social or anything like it. They are gifted, hard working, highly intelligent folks who are kicking a@# in school. They usually have goals that require them to exceed the standard and that is cool. My point is that being comfortable with others success doesn't necessarily mean we are embracing mediocrity. It's kinda like what Dirty Harry said "a mans gotta know his limitations."