Cars needed for externships?

[ayg103]

I was wondering if many of you needed a car during your externships (in relation to oms externships). I am starting dental school in the fall, and I was debating whether to keep my car or sell it. The reason I would keep it is to drive to externships and then drive to the hospitals at those externships. So would this be a good investment to keep the car? Or are most externships close enough to hospitals that a car is not needed? Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.

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[north2southOMFS]

I was wondering if many of you needed a car during your externships (in relation to oms externships). I am starting dental school in the fall, and I was debating whether to keep my car or sell it. The reason I would keep it is to drive to externships and then drive to the hospitals at those externships. So would this be a good investment to keep the car? .

If your entire question is do you need have a car in order to do externships for OMS the answer is no. Would it be convenient....maybe...maybe not depending on where you do you externships.

Or are most externships close enough to hospitals that a car is not needed? Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.

Most if not all externships are IN a hospital or if its a dental school program it is connected to the hospital. The car you would need to drive to and from the hotel your staying at if the OMS program cannot provide housing in the hospital.

Some programs do not provide a place for you to stay mostly because they either don't really have call rooms at their disposal or there are way to freaking many externs. Some will let you stay in their call rooms.

 

[Yah-E]

My determinant factor, whether to have a car or not at my externships is first to figure out how long will I be at my externship? For month long externships, it really is nice to have a car at your disposal. Having a transportation is simply convenience, you're not stuck at the hospital/campus or you don't have to depend on others for rides.

For one or two weeks externships, I say, you really can do without a car, anytime period longer than that, a car would be nice.

Second question you must ask yourself, where will I stay during my externship. If you're allowed to stay in the call room for the month, then maybe a car is not needed. But if you're staying at a remote living quarters, then a car maybe needed to get to the externship, to buy groceries, and other means.

So far at all my externships, I've had a car there with me. During my upcoming two externships, one I will have my car (one month long) and the other I will not (3 weeks long). The one externship that I will not have my car at, it is in the major city setting where taxies and subways/trains are much more convenient and readily available.

So questions to ask yourself:

1) how long will I do my externship for?
2) where will I stay during the duration of my participation?

Reasons to have a car with you:
1) to save money (airfare is too much)
2) you need transportation to get to your externship, grocery stores, site seeing (public transportation such as taxies, subways/trains are limited)
3) you wish to bring more of your belonging with you to your externship since you have an apartment rented for the month or 3 weeks, etc.
4) if you know you'll be going on dates during your externship

No clear cut answer, many factors should play on your decision. Good luck in dental school. I'm so ready to graduate already and I still have one whole year left!

 

[ayg103]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it. Just one or two follow up questions. I took a year off after graduation and I got a job, so I got a new car. Now that I am going to dental school in the fall, should I sell this car and use the money towards financing my first year? Or should I keep the car for summer externships and possbily residency after d-school? I will not need the car in school because I am going to be in NYC. Thanks again for all your input.