Baylor & San Antonio Students please reply!

[LuvKittens]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I am deciding between Baylor and San Antonio dental school right now, and would like Baylor & SA students to answer a few questions for me. It would be great if older students like a D3 or D4 could answer these b/c I have a few clinical-based questions.

Baylor Student Questions:
1. Do you think that doing all your own lab work is helpful or just annoying? I am worried that I'll stink at lab work and that my time spent doing that will eat into time I could have spent studying for exams, etc. Also, what are your test and quiz schedules like? Do you have several each week or have blocks of quizzes and exams scheduled?

2. What are the group practice leaders like? Are they helpful and easy to get along with?

3. Does Baylor have a competitive culture among its students or is cliquish?

4. How much one-on-one time do students get with teachers to learn clinical things, like how to drill, etc? Do you feel like Baylor could do a better job at this?

5. I am used to being able study in a large, quiet library-I understand that Baylor has a small library. Where do students generally study? Does Baylor provide students with quiet study areas that are open during non-class hours? Is the library as bad as people make it out to be?

6. I understand that Baylor gives students a mock exam for the boards part II, is this useful?

7. The D4s who gave me a tour of Baylor seemed stressed/worn out. I know that dental school is really challenging at each school-but do you think that the curriculum & clinical requirements of Baylor are structured in a way to induce unnecessary stress?

8. What is the best part about going to your school?


SA Student Questions:
1. I heard that some general practice group leaders can be hard to get along with, is this true?

2. Is it hard to get enough patients to fulfill your clinical requirements? What are the clinical requirements(numbers of procedures) needed to graduate?

3. Does SA give students a mock exam of the boards part II? If not, do you think they should/wish they did?

4. Is SA competitive or cliquish?

5. I understand that each year SA gives the students some form of practice/business management class. How useful are these classes?

6. How much one-on-one time do students get with teachers to learn clinical things, like how to drill, etc? Do you feel like SA could do a better job at this?

7. What is the grading scale at SA? I think I saw in another thread that Baylor's is like a 93+ of an "A", etc. I tried looking for SA's but I got stumped.

8. What is the best part about going to your school?

Wow, that is a crazy long list of questions but I appreciate your honest answers to these questions. 🙂 Thanks for helping me out.

 

[asianboi]

SA Student Questions:
1. I heard that some general practice group leaders can be hard to get along with, is this true?
Yes, I'd say this is true. It used to be group one had the most difficult professors but now they just rotate them.

2. Is it hard to get enough patients to fulfill your clinical requirements? What are the clinical requirements(numbers of procedures) needed to graduate?
It can be difficult. You will need to complete 2 denture cases, 1 rpd case, miniumim of 6 crowns, 3 endo cases, and 1600 operative points. It's difficult to schedule the RCT because the schedule is basically full until the end of the year. The school gives you patients, but if you don't have you're requirements fulfilled from them you must find your own.

3. Does SA give students a mock exam of the boards part II? If not, do you think they should/wish they did?
no

4. Is SA competitive or cliquish?
competitive-yes, cliquish-not really

5. I understand that each year SA gives the students some form of practice/business management class. How useful are these classes?
true. It is referred to as Professional Development and it's useful if you plan to open your own practice.

6. How much one-on-one time do students get with teachers to learn clinical things, like how to drill, etc? Do you feel like SA could do a better job at this?
Not enough. Yes, I do feel SA could do much better at identifying and helping struggling students.

7. What is the grading scale at SA? I think I saw in another thread that Baylor's is like a 93+ of an "A", etc. I tried looking for SA's but I got stumped.
Depends on the class.

8. What is the best part about going to your school?
The campus and gym.

 

[LuvKittens]

Hey, thanks for answering my questions! I'll definitely take your answers into consideration when I'm choosing.

 

[DDSAg09]

I'm a D2 at Baylor, I can't answer all your questions fully but I'll take a crack at what I've experienced so far.

Baylor Student Questions:
1. Do you think that doing all your own lab work is helpful or just annoying? I am worried that I'll stink at lab work and that my time spent doing that will eat into time I could have spent studying for exams, etc. Also, what are your test and quiz schedules like? Do you have several each week or have blocks of quizzes and exams scheduled?

Yes, we do a LOT of lab work. You get used to it though because it's all you know. While it sometimes feels excessive, I know I'll be a better dentist when I graduate because of the experience. Most people don't seem to have any trouble balancing lab with studying. Most everyone sucks at lab work in the beginning and takes time to gain skill, few people master it quickly without some kind of prior experience.

In D1, you're doing very little labwork, really just waxing in the fall and some operative in the spring. Most of this is all during lab time. In D2 you have a lot more but not near as much to study. Exams are more spread out in D1 but are stacked heavily in midterm/final type blocks in D2.

2. What are the group practice leaders like? Are they helpful and easy to get along with?

No idea really. Most all of our faculty is helpful and easy to get along with though.

3. Does Baylor have a competitive culture among its students or is cliquish?

It's a somewhat competitive atmosphere but friendly. People here aren't out to undermine their classmates but many want to be successful and are willing to work hard.
Socially, I guess it's kind of cliquish but that is inherent. You're not going to be close friends with all 100+ people in your class no matter where you go. Everyone in the class is friendly with each other though.

4. How much one-on-one time do students get with teachers to learn clinical things, like how to drill, etc? Do you feel like Baylor could do a better job at this?

In almost every lab you're assigned a bench instructor that rotates during the semester. Usually you're competing with 10-15 people for this instructor's time so while they have time to critique your work and provide feedback, they usually can't spend a long time with each student at one time to be fair to everyone. If you're struggling at something, you're probably going to get more help though which can be good and bad. I don't feel like this has ever an issue though - no one is really ever left behind or on their own.

5. I am used to being able study in a large, quiet library-I understand that Baylor has a small library. Where do students generally study? Does Baylor provide students with quiet study areas that are open during non-class hours? Is the library as bad as people make it out to be?

The library is plenty large, rarely have I ever seen it full. The problem are the hours for many people. It has a large computer lab and two other study areas. In addition to the library though there are many classrooms that are open 24x7x365 that you can study in. While sometimes I wish they stayed open later, it's really never been a significant issue.

6. I understand that Baylor gives students a mock exam for the boards part II, is this useful?

I assisted on this about a month ago, based on what I saw I don't know how it couldn't be helpful. You go through almost exactly how the WREB exam is administered including all the crazy procedures so you're ready for the real thing. I would say this dry run probably helps a lot with the stress when the real thing rolls around.

7. The D4s who gave me a tour of Baylor seemed stressed/worn out. I know that dental school is really challenging at each school-but do you think that the curriculum & clinical requirements of Baylor are structured in a way to induce unnecessary stress?

Requirements at Baylor are very high. We have to do 51 units of fixed and 9 units of removable (1 unit = full/full or RPD). Yes, people are frequently stressed over finishing these but inevitably people do. Students here work really hard in D3/D4 but enter private practice well trained. I remember when I asked this one of the professors asked me "Would you rather have the new dentist who cut 15 crowns work on you or the one that cut 50?" Unfortunately in our profession, experience takes time and practice and learning from your mistakes. Honestly, you're going to have to work significantly harder at Baylor than most other dental schools for your degree because of this but it's not a waste of effort by any means.

8. What is the best part about going to your school?

The people. They're awesome.

 

[LuvKittens]

Thank you for answering my questions thoroughly. I read your reply and was at to Baylor for a "second look" yesterday. Taking in the vibes of the school and the answers I got back from you plus other Baylor students I spoke to yesterday, I decided to go to Baylor. I think it's the school where I can get the foundation to become the best dentist I can be.

 

[jirotrom]

Thank you for answering my questions thoroughly. I read your reply and was at to Baylor for a "second look" yesterday. Taking in the vibes of the school and the answers I got back from you plus other Baylor students I spoke to yesterday, I decided to go to Baylor. I think it's the school where I can get the foundation to become the best dentist I can be.

Join the Facebook group I'll add you!
Congrats!!

 

[jay47]

I'm a D2 at Baylor, I can't answer all your questions fully but I'll take a crack at what I've experienced so far.

Baylor Student Questions:
1. Do you think that doing all your own lab work is helpful or just annoying? I am worried that I'll stink at lab work and that my time spent doing that will eat into time I could have spent studying for exams, etc. Also, what are your test and quiz schedules like? Do you have several each week or have blocks of quizzes and exams scheduled?

Yes, we do a LOT of lab work. You get used to it though because it's all you know. While it sometimes feels excessive, I know I'll be a better dentist when I graduate because of the experience. Most people don't seem to have any trouble balancing lab with studying. Most everyone sucks at lab work in the beginning and takes time to gain skill, few people master it quickly without some kind of prior experience.

In D1, you're doing very little labwork, really just waxing in the fall and some operative in the spring. Most of this is all during lab time. In D2 you have a lot more but not near as much to study. Exams are more spread out in D1 but are stacked heavily in midterm/final type blocks in D2.

2. What are the group practice leaders like? Are they helpful and easy to get along with?

No idea really. Most all of our faculty is helpful and easy to get along with though.

3. Does Baylor have a competitive culture among its students or is cliquish?

It's a somewhat competitive atmosphere but friendly. People here aren't out to undermine their classmates but many want to be successful and are willing to work hard.
Socially, I guess it's kind of cliquish but that is inherent. You're not going to be close friends with all 100+ people in your class no matter where you go. Everyone in the class is friendly with each other though.

4. How much one-on-one time do students get with teachers to learn clinical things, like how to drill, etc? Do you feel like Baylor could do a better job at this?

In almost every lab you're assigned a bench instructor that rotates during the semester. Usually you're competing with 10-15 people for this instructor's time so while they have time to critique your work and provide feedback, they usually can't spend a long time with each student at one time to be fair to everyone. If you're struggling at something, you're probably going to get more help though which can be good and bad. I don't feel like this has ever an issue though - no one is really ever left behind or on their own.

5. I am used to being able study in a large, quiet library-I understand that Baylor has a small library. Where do students generally study? Does Baylor provide students with quiet study areas that are open during non-class hours? Is the library as bad as people make it out to be?

The library is plenty large, rarely have I ever seen it full. The problem are the hours for many people. It has a large computer lab and two other study areas. In addition to the library though there are many classrooms that are open 24x7x365 that you can study in. While sometimes I wish they stayed open later, it's really never been a significant issue.

6. I understand that Baylor gives students a mock exam for the boards part II, is this useful?

I assisted on this about a month ago, based on what I saw I don't know how it couldn't be helpful. You go through almost exactly how the WREB exam is administered including all the crazy procedures so you're ready for the real thing. I would say this dry run probably helps a lot with the stress when the real thing rolls around.

7. The D4s who gave me a tour of Baylor seemed stressed/worn out. I know that dental school is really challenging at each school-but do you think that the curriculum & clinical requirements of Baylor are structured in a way to induce unnecessary stress?

Requirements at Baylor are very high. We have to do 51 units of fixed and 9 units of removable (1 unit = full/full or RPD). Yes, people are frequently stressed over finishing these but inevitably people do. Students here work really hard in D3/D4 but enter private practice well trained. I remember when I asked this one of the professors asked me "Would you rather have the new dentist who cut 15 crowns work on you or the one that cut 50?" Unfortunately in our profession, experience takes time and practice and learning from your mistakes. Honestly, you're going to have to work significantly harder at Baylor than most other dental schools for your degree because of this but it's not a waste of effort by any means.

8. What is the best part about going to your school?

The people. They're awesome.

Lol, ditto all that for Houston Wade (except the lab work). The more I find out about each school in Texas the more I swear they are alike.