Better to submit sooner or with more hours?

[MrBoneless]

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I will have my DAT done on the 27th and I currently have 35 shadowing hours complete. I will have more like 50-60 by the time the rest of my app is done, and I could have 70-100 done by late July. (I do work full time)

Is it worth postponing submitting my app to have more shadowing hours?

Also, can I call schools in August and say I now have 100 hours of shadowing? Especially since I can't edit my app after I submit.

(P.S. I only decided that I wanted to do dentistry less than a year ago, my small number of hours is due to my academic schedule and lack of time rather than a lack of interest. I couldn't imagine a better field to work in.)

 

[Likkriue]

Submit it and update the schools later.

 

[JLT223]

Not worth it. 35 is way too low but if you get near 60 I think you'll be fine. You can call schools/email them to send updates. Waiting that late for 20 more hours makes no sense.

 

[MrBoneless]

Submit it and update the schools later.

So if I apply at U Michigan and hit their requirement of 100 hours in August I still may get an interview there?

 

[JLT223]

So if I apply at U Michigan and hit their requirement of 100 hours in August I still may get an interview there?

Yes

 

[SrJulio]

Just put 100 hours down and submit your application ASAP. You will have them before you interview, so you are not lying


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[MrBoneless]

Just put 100 hours down and submit your application ASAP. You will have them before you interview, so you are not lying


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I'd rather not get in the habit of fudging numbers, I assume there's some sort of lifetime ban if you get caught lying on your app.

 

[SrJulio]

I'd rather not get in the habit of fudging numbers, I assume there's some sort of lifetime ban if you get caught lying on your app.

Well, most people round up their numbers anyway. It's not like the OP won't have those numbers by his interview date. I personally don't consider this lying


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[DC206R]

Personally, I think it is OK to project what your hours will be maybe 1-2 weeks after you submit. Some people put that they're planning to do X amount of hours for volunteering months after they submit. Now that is not right. Honestly, by the time you take the DAT, I'm sure you will have close to 50-60 hours and that's good enough to put down and update them a month after you submitted with your total. Round up 10-15 hours is alright, 60 not so much.

 

[JLT223]

There's a reason a section for planned activities doesn't exist; most of the time they never actually happen.

 

[MrBoneless]

I ended up emailing them and got this response.

Thank you for your interest in the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, you are unable to make any updates to your application after it has been submitted. You'll need to complete the 100 hours of shadowing by the time you apply to the program. If you have any other questions, please let us know.

So guess I'm gonna have to take time off work to shadow.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

If you have other experiences in the dental clinic, you could be off the hook. I only had half the shadowing hours required to one school I interviewed at, which I didn't realize when I applied there, but my other dental clinical experience made up for it. Also, I've come to see that requirements like this aren't always 100% strict. If you're a great applicant in their eyes, they could take you anyway.
Good for you on being honest and waiting. Not sure why you are being told to fudge 70 hours. That's tripling what you have now and is frankly ridiculous advice. Fudging hours from something like 37 to 40 is fine. It's a rounding error.
Additionally, late July is still far from too late to submit, get interviewed, and get accepted. Good luck!

 

[PreDentatron5000]

I ended up emailing them and got this response.

Thank you for your interest in the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, you are unable to make any updates to your application after it has been submitted. You'll need to complete the 100 hours of shadowing by the time you apply to the program. If you have any other questions, please let us know.

So guess I'm gonna have to take time off work to shadow.

This is straight from the Michigan website:

"It is expected that candidates will exhibit a confirmed interest and motivation in a dental career by participating in career-related activities such as job shadowing, community service and other volunteer opportunities. Applicants are required to demonstrate, at the time of application, a minimum of 100 hours of dental shadowing and/or volunteering. Applicants without this minimum number of hours may not be reviewed or considered for interview. Candidates who show a demonstrated interest in addressing health disparities or commitment to service and care for underserved communities are desirable."

So you don't need 100 of just shadowing, but a combination of shadowing and volunteering.

 

[MrBoneless]

This is straight from the Michigan website:

"It is expected that candidates will exhibit a confirmed interest and motivation in a dental career by participating in career-related activities such as job shadowing, community service and other volunteer opportunities. Applicants are required to demonstrate, at the time of application, a minimum of 100 hours of dental shadowing and/or volunteering. Applicants without this minimum number of hours may not be reviewed or considered for interview. Candidates who show a demonstrated interest in addressing health disparities or commitment to service and care for underserved communities are desirable."

So you don't need 100 of just shadowing, but a combination of shadowing and volunteering.

Oh I didn't catch that. I don't have any dental volunteering but honestly my volunteer work and extracurriculars are super strong. (Well over 1000 hours combined.) I guess we will see what happens!

 

[MrBoneless]

If you have other experiences in the dental clinic, you could be off the hook. I only had half the shadowing hours required to one school I interviewed at, which I didn't realize when I applied there, but my other dental clinical experience made up for it. Also, I've come to see that requirements like this aren't always 100% strict. If you're a great applicant in their eyes, they could take you anyway.
Good for you on being honest and waiting. Not sure why you are being told to fudge 70 hours. That's tripling what you have now and is frankly ridiculous advice. Fudging hours from something like 37 to 40 is fine. It's a rounding error.
Additionally, late July is still far from too late to submit, get interviewed, and get accepted. Good luck!

When you say they are 100% strict does that mean they are more like very heavily recommended rather than required? I.E if I had 80 hours and was other solid, I might get an interview?

 

[hellofuturedentists]

When you say they are 100% strict does that mean they are more like very heavily recommended rather than required? I.E if I had 80 hours and was other solid, I might get an interview?

Maybe. From the post above, though, it looks like you'll be okay. If any of your volunteering involves patients in a clinic or working with people, that might count. I think the only 10000% hard and fast requirements are the pre-requisite courses like biology, chemistry, etc. If you have 80 hours and they really like the rest of your application, they'll probably bend the rules.

 

[MrBoneless]

Maybe. From the post above, though, it looks like you'll be okay. If any of your volunteering involves patients in a clinic or working with people, that might count. I think the only 10000% hard and fast requirements are the pre-requisite courses like biology, chemistry, etc. If you have 80 hours and they really like the rest of your application, they'll probably bend the rules.

What about a 10 day medical mission trip in Peru during study abroad? It wasn't dental specific, but involved giving various medical supplies, food, and clothing.

 

[JLT223]

What about a 10 day medical mission trip in Peru during study abroad? It wasn't dental specific, but involved giving various medical supplies, food, and clothing.

Lima? Cusco? Peru is my favorite country 😍

 

[hellofuturedentists]

What about a 10 day medical mission trip in Peru during study abroad? It wasn't dental specific, but involved giving various medical supplies, food, and clothing.

Sure that might count. I'm not on an admissions committee though so I can't say for sure. But if I were in your shoes, I'd just get as much shadowing done as I could in the next week or two and pray for the best lol

 

[MrBoneless]

Lima? Cusco? Peru is my favorite country 😍

I lived in Arequipa for four months, we went to Puno for the mission work and had to drive a ridiculous amount in the Andes to get to the villages. It was like 9 hours on awful mountain roads through streams and the village was at 14k feet. Amazing experience though... Not many people can say they've climbed through a cave full of bats after eating homemade goat cheese and Andean potatoes at 14,000 feet.

 

[MrBoneless]

Sure that might count. I'm not on an admissions committee though so I can't say for sure. But if I were in your shoes, I'd just get as much shadowing done as I could in the next week or two and pray for the best lol

I have 15 hours set up for the next two days and my DAT in a week. Good stuff, but I'll be happy to be done waking up at 6AM every day to study before work.

 

[JLT223]

I lived in Arequipa for four months, we went to Puno for the mission work and had to drive a ridiculous amount in the Andes to get to the villages. It was like 9 hours on awful mountain roads through streams and the village was at 14k feet. Amazing experience though... Not many people can say they've climbed through a cave full of bats after eating homemade goat cheese and Andean potatoes at 14,000 feet.

That's why it's such a great place. I was also at a few villages 2 hours from Cusco that were probably 10,000 feet up or so. Such a different way of life. Unforgettable experience.