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- Feb 9, 2002
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Hey y'all!
Here is my dilemma. I am 32 years old... a non-traditional student... and I will be a first year at 33. I think that I would want to specialize, most likely orthodontics... my father is an ortho on the east coast and I live on the west coast.
Here's my question. I may not specialize because I would be 40 by the time I finish, or because I may not be in the top percent of my class... which is fine... I am honest with myself. My question is this...
I like the west coast and think that I would like to practice somewhere in Cali (Los Angeles where I live is a bit saturated) Should I stay in LA to go to my only Cal school of USC and take the chance that the PBL will work for me? OR go to what I know will probably be harder and more time consuming but what I am used to and got me into dental school (books and lectures) and go back east to TUFTS or UPENN. And if so, which of these would be better?(even though, I loved Boston more)
There you have it. I have seen the PBL and think I could manage, but it is still so new at USC that it seems a good percentage of students there kind of go through the motions more than love it. But they know that they want to practice on the west coast and want the alumni connection which is strong at USC.
Tufts does have a seminar for students who are taking the cal boards and want to go out west, but is it true that just a small percentage of east coasters get back out west, and if you want to practice on the east, go east, and in the west, go west?
I have talked enough... whatever you can write, would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thank you in advance and for your time.
---Dentaldamnedstudent, DDS.
Here is my dilemma. I am 32 years old... a non-traditional student... and I will be a first year at 33. I think that I would want to specialize, most likely orthodontics... my father is an ortho on the east coast and I live on the west coast.
Here's my question. I may not specialize because I would be 40 by the time I finish, or because I may not be in the top percent of my class... which is fine... I am honest with myself. My question is this...
I like the west coast and think that I would like to practice somewhere in Cali (Los Angeles where I live is a bit saturated) Should I stay in LA to go to my only Cal school of USC and take the chance that the PBL will work for me? OR go to what I know will probably be harder and more time consuming but what I am used to and got me into dental school (books and lectures) and go back east to TUFTS or UPENN. And if so, which of these would be better?(even though, I loved Boston more)
There you have it. I have seen the PBL and think I could manage, but it is still so new at USC that it seems a good percentage of students there kind of go through the motions more than love it. But they know that they want to practice on the west coast and want the alumni connection which is strong at USC.
Tufts does have a seminar for students who are taking the cal boards and want to go out west, but is it true that just a small percentage of east coasters get back out west, and if you want to practice on the east, go east, and in the west, go west?
I have talked enough... whatever you can write, would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thank you in advance and for your time.
---Dentaldamnedstudent, DDS.