Change to Medicine????

[IzzyMarieDMD]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

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[Robizzle]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

Hi there,

1) Many state schools favor in-state students, some more than others, you'll need to pick up a copy of the MSAR for specifics. There are also private institutions that don't really affiliate themselves with the state: I.E. Harvard.

2) It's not necessary, but it will surely help. If you take a MCAT prep course, this should suffice.

3) Depends how competitive you are. You'll see some people here who only apply to 10 schools (that is considered very low these days). These are the more competitive/daring applicants. You'll also see folks on the other end of the spectrum who apply to 25+ wishing for just 1 acceptance anywhere. 15-25 is a pretty standard range.

 

[sirus_virus]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

Wrong move, stay in dentistry.

 

[DblHelix]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

Don't listen to Sirus, Izzy.

1. Only public schools tend to favor in-staters. A lot of private schools have a large amount of students from their state but most of the time that can be attributed to who applies there.

2. I don't think Phys. II is necessary. Most of the physics stuff on the MCAT is covered in Physics I. You'll only really have to study circuits & optics, there might be some more but those are the two biggies.

3. Depends on where you are from. If you are like me, and from California, then get ready to apply to anywhere from 20 to 30 schools. If, however, you have an awesome state school that actually supports its residents, then that number will probably be 10-20 (depending on your numbers).

Good Luck!

 

[sirus_virus]

All I am saying is- if you care about financial security and autonomy, stay in dentistry. Otherwise go ahead and switch.

 

[MossPoh]

Don't listen to Sirus, Izzy.

1. Only public schools tend to favor in-staters. A lot of private schools have a large amount of students from their state but most of the time that can be attributed to who applies there.

This is not always true. Certain schools that are considered private are still bias towards instate. Example being University of Miami, and to a lesser extent (Post Katrina) Tulane. The general rule is public schools though..I'll go with you on that one.

OP ..If you have doubts then shadow a little bit of both again. Perhaps you just need a reminder as to why you wanted dentistry, or perhaps your heart was just never into it to begin with....It isn't a crime to switch but don't do it for the wrong reasons.

 

[gujuDoc]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

Out of curiosity, why switch?

To answer your other question, it really depends on the state and schools in question. A lot of public institutions do favor their own home state students but there are some states where the competition is so rough (i.e. Pa and Ca) that students are sometimes forced to leave if they really want to go to med school.

Taking the MCAT without physics 2 can be done but it is advisable to take all prereqs before taking the MCAT.

10-15 is the average but some people with lower numbers have applied to as many as 40+ schools while some people with little money may have applied to 4-5 schools and yet others have applied to only 1 or 2 schools (i.e. EDP people and people who have a spouse in the area and can't leave due to reasons of that nature).

 

[Towelie]

All I am saying is- if you care about financial security and autonomy, stay in dentistry. Otherwise go ahead and switch.

Good lord. Doctors are more financially secure than dentists Sirus. Look at the average salaries.

If you want to work low hours, then medicine is probably not the field for you.

 

[IzzyMarieDMD]

Out of curiosity, why switch?

To answer your other question, it really depends on the state and schools in question. A lot of public institutions do favor their own home state students but there are some states where the competition is so rough (i.e. Pa and Ca) that students are sometimes forced to leave if they really want to go to med school.

Taking the MCAT without physics 2 can be done but it is advisable to take all prereqs before taking the MCAT.

10-15 is the average but some people with lower numbers have applied to as many as 40+ schools while some people with little money may have applied to 4-5 schools and yet others have applied to only 1 or 2 schools (i.e. EDP people and people who have a spouse in the area and can't leave due to reasons of that nature).

To answer your question... I know I am capable of being an MD or a dentist and I'm can't find a concrete reason to pick one over the other. I guess I zeroed in on denistry b/c I want to be a mom and dentistry is usually considered more family-friendly, but besides that I can see myself being happy doing either. I'm getting nervous b/c it's so close to application time and it's like this huge decision about the rest of my life...

 

[BellyDancingDoc]

To answer your question... I know I am capable of being an MD or a dentist and I'm can't find a concrete reason to pick one over the other. I guess I zeroed in on denistry b/c I want to be a mom and dentistry is usually considered more family-friendly, but besides that I can see myself being happy doing either. I'm getting nervous b/c it's so close to application time and it's like this huge decision about the rest of my life...

Hey Izzy,

I know this is a little off-topic to your original post, but have you thought about taking a year off to work with a doctor and/or a dentist and to just generally think about what you want out of your professional life? I know that taking a year off sounds like a big deal from where you're sitting, but it's not nearly as big a deal as waking up $200,000 in debt each morning, knowing that you've made the wrong decision and it's too late to back out.

Seriously. Don't start down either of these two roads unless and until you're really sure of what you want. Respect yourself and your future enough to take a year off if you need it, in order to make a choice you won't later regret.

Good luck, OP!

 

[Law2Doc]

To answer your question... I know I am capable of being an MD or a dentist and I'm can't find a concrete reason to pick one over the other.

Until you have such a concrete reason, you should not apply to medicine. We are talking 4 years of med school with a six digit price tag, followed by a minimum of 3 years of low paid residency (with hours running as high as 80 hrs/wk) before you can practice. It is a rough haul for the folks who know they want to be there, but a near impossibility for those who don't. Spend whatever time you need to decide, but absolutely don't apply without a concrete reason. Knowing you are capable is not a good enough reason to do it.

 

[EmanUT]

Good lord. Doctors are more financially secure than dentists Sirus. Look at the average salaries.

You have to be selective in how you interpret that. A general dentist will make the same, if not more than a family practioner. A medical specialist will make more than a general dentist. But a dental specialist will make as much as a medical specialist. You can't compare an Anesthesiologist to a Dentist in the same way you cannot compare an Orthodontist to a Family Practioner or a Psychiatrist.

PS - Both physicians and dentists are Doctors

 

[Towelie]

You have to be selective in how you interpret that. A general dentist will make the same, if not more than a family practioner. A medical specialist will make more than a general dentist. But a dental specialist will make as much as a medical specialist. You can't compare an Anesthesiologist to a Dentist in the same way you cannot compare an Orthodontist to a Family Practioner or a Psychiatrist.

PS - Both physicians and dentists are Doctors

The average dental specialist does not make as much as the average medical specialist.

I agree with everything else that you wrote, except for the part about dentists being doctors.

 

[spicedmanna]

PS - Both physicians and dentists are Doctors

Ah... What are you saying, actually? Physicians and Dentists both have professional doctorates; they are non-equivalent, however. There is some intersection of scope, but the practices are inherently different. It's not like you are comparing DO's and MD's, who are both physicians.

 

[Law2Doc]

The average dental specialist does not make as much as the average medical specialist.

I agree with everything else that you wrote, except for the part about dentists being doctors.

Per hour they might -- every dentist I've ever visited worked 4 or fewer days per week.

 

[spicedmanna]

Until you have such a concrete reason, you should not apply to medicine. We are talking 4 years of med school with a six digit price tag, followed by a minimum of 3 years of low paid residency (with hours running as high as 80 hrs/wk) before you can practice. It is a rough haul for the folks who know they want to be there, but a near impossibility for those who don't. Spend whatever time you need to decide, but absolutely don't apply without a concrete reason. Knowing you are capable is not a good enough reason to do it.

QFT. I agree with Law2Doc. Take some time to make a proper decision. Do some shadowing and soul searching first.

 

[IzzyMarieDMD]

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[EmanUT]

I am trying to help out the OP. I agree with Law2Doc about the per hour pay. On average, a dentist will work less than a physician. There are exceptions, such as Oral Surgeons (a recognized dental specialty) working ridiculous hours and Psychiatrists working fewer hours. It all depends on what you want in your career, such as 40 hours a week vs. 60 a week. If family is important to you, as you said it was, then maybe dentistry is a better choice. For sure shadow both a dentist and physician and see which lifestyle suits you best. If you enjoy being your own boss, working solely in private practice and being more in control of your career, then choose dentistry. If you enjoy the hospital setting w/outpatient centers, longer work hours, more school and a higher average salary, then choose medicine. Both are great choices for individuals interested in healthcare.

In response to spice, I meant what I said in that both physicians and dentists are doctors. DDS = Doctor of Dental Surgery and MD = Doctor of Medicine. They both go by Dr. XXX and are considered doctors. I didn't say a dentist is a doctor of medicine, because a dentist cannot perfom what a MD can. I did not say that a physician is a doctor of dental surgery, because a physician cannot perfrom what a DDS can. They are both healthcare professionals who go by Doctor.

 

[NonTradMed]

Hi everyone,
I'm a junior pre-dental student and am about to enter the dental school appl. process. However, I have been having second thoughts and med. school is starting to look more and more appealing....

I have a couple of specific questions but any random thoughts would be appreciated.
1. do most med schools favor students from their own state?
2. is it necessary to have taken Physics II before taking the MCAT?
3. on average, how many different schools do pre-med students apply to?

Thanks in advance.

1. Many public med schools will favor their own instaters, and some private schools as well. You will need to check out a copy of MSAR to see which ones.

2. It's not 'necessary', but highly recommended. Also, a year of college physics is required before entering med school.

3. The average at my school (I was told) was 12-15 but we have a lot of gunners. The average nationwide is probably between 8-15. Some people apply a lot b/c they aren't competitive. Others have no need to apply to so many. It varies depending on how good of an applicant you are, and where you want to go to school.

To answer your question... I know I am capable of being an MD or a dentist and I'm can't find a concrete reason to pick one over the other. I guess I zeroed in on denistry b/c I want to be a mom and dentistry is usually considered more family-friendly, but besides that I can see myself being happy doing either. I'm getting nervous b/c it's so close to application time and it's like this huge decision about the rest of my life...

You don't seem to know *why* you're doing either. I suggest you shadow some dentists and doctors to see which interests you. You are talking about a six figure debt and a minimal of four years of fairly demanding education. Why not wait a year? Don't rush into something you're regret later. Remember, entering a professional school may handcuff you to that job just to pay off all the debt. If you find our you hate your job, you may not have the luxury of 'quitting'.

I am trying to help out the OP. I agree with Law2Doc about the per hour pay. On average, a dentist will work less than a physician. There are exceptions, such as Oral Surgeons (a recognized dental specialty) working ridiculous hours and Psychiatrists working fewer hours. It all depends on what you want in your career, such as 40 hours a week vs. 60 a week. If family is important to you, as you said it was, then maybe dentistry is a better choice. For sure shadow both a dentist and physician and see which lifestyle suits you best. If you enjoy being your own boss, working solely in private practice and being more in control of your career, then choose dentistry. If you enjoy the hospital setting w/outpatient centers, longer work hours, more school and a higher average salary, then choose medicine. Both are great choices for individuals interested in healthcare.

Actually, most doctors don't work in hospitals. One of the surprising things I found out was that most doctors work in group private practice.



As for picking medicine over dentistry, doctors on average may work long hours, but I think there's enough variety and differences between specialties that you can pick a profession that will allow you to work fewer hours.

When people think about being a doctor, the image is instantly of a internal med doc or a surgeon. So the idea is that you will end up working long hours, be a slave to your pager etc. That is true for some professions, however, there are a ton of other noncompetitive specialities you can pick from which will give you 'a life'. Psych, ER, PMR, pathology are all known for having a nonsurgeon type of life and they still pay decent. Also, there are now group practices which will allow you to rotate your 'on call' schedule. I guess what I want to point out is that not all doctors work 60 hours. In fact, most female doctors work a 'normal' work week of 45-50 hours, although they also get paid less than their male counterpart.

I choose medicine in part for the varying degrees of work styles you can have, and for the fact that I didn't have to be pigenholed into one profession as a result (unlike dentistry where you will most certainly be focusing on the oral region). To me, that is the "perk" of medicine. I also found out from family friends that dentistry can be bad for your hand and back and that it is a fairly physically demanding work. I don't know how much that has changed, so don't base your decision on heresay that occured over 15 years ago.

Anyway, my best advice is for you to shadow a doctor and see which profession would suit you better. Don't base it on what annoymous people (who have vested interest in saying their profession is better! ) say to you.

 

[downlikedisco]

I agree with everything else that you wrote, except for the part about dentists being doctors.

for a kid who got a 42 on his mcat and has a 4.0, you sure say some dumb ****.