Clinics at Columbia

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babinka

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Hey- just wondering if anyone knows what the graduation requirements are at Columbia? I remember they said something about only having to treat 15 patients, versus doing "X" number of root canals or fillings etc. at other institutions.

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Originally posted by babinka
only having to treat 15 patients,

I sure hope not!! 15 is too low. I remember one of my friends who interviewed at columbia telling me that their requirements were much much much lower than most other schools he interviewed at including PENN, Harvard, UNC, and UF.

DesiDentist
 
yes, 15 patients is correct. during the third year, you'll be in the clinics working on patients as other schools would. however, during the fourth year, you get 15 patients to work on from start to finish. each patient can have 8 or 9 procedures that need to be done (this is what one of the students had said). columbia calls this "comprehensive care." i spoke to the students about this and some said they worked on 40-45 patients in the last two years.
 
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there's plenty of opportunities in clinic....
I have been asked to help assist in clinic already (and have done it). The person I assisted has done over 100 extractions already (and he's only a 3rd yr). They encourage us to do as much as we want...and those that are motivated will have more patients than those who aren't....
plus... half or more of us go onto specialization...so think about it...what good is drilling and filling if you're going to be an oral surgeon or an orthodontist?

yes, and I am only a first year, but I think I have much more authority to talk about the school than those who haven't been here or only have friends that have interviewed or heard things thru the grape vine.

if you have any questions feel free to leave me a private message...or if you don't believe me you can also ask my classmmates (tj lee, buckyball, and nynoles)
 
Personally, I think Columbia and U Penn are both great schools!

Anyways, I am just wondering, DesiDentist, why did you say so many negative things about Columbia? :rolleyes:
 
Happy Gingiva:

All I said was that 15 seemed like a low number. The schools I interviewed at students were seeing double that number. At Temple students were seeing between 35-47 patients.

However, I did not interview at Columbia so I am not the best resource about SDOS.

DesiDentist
 
I don't want to criticize SDOS or anything because it's not my school. However, the 15 patients number is low. And 100 extractions is nothing to write home about. Those third year students I met at Case all have done more than 300 extraction. One guy told me he has done 500. Of course the school doesn't make a dentist. It's individual efforts. But if everyone in the school has the same number and the number is way below other school averages, you have to think twice about it. I'm sure SDOS has many positive aspects. The matter is just to find the right school that fits for you.
 
At Temple, I was observing this fourth year student and he did 12 extractions during the 7 hours I spent there (not on one patient but 9 patients). I looked at his track sheet and he said that he has done over 600 extractions. He said that extractions are the easiest procedure for him.

1.) numb the patient
2.) Pull
3.) clean up

Temple old requirement was 150 extractions, but I think now they lowered that to 75 or something. So those of you going to Temple. You will have some fun in clinics.

DesiDentist
 
yup you're right, finding the right school for you is what counts...

there's good and bad things about every school...

i have friends at various schools including usc, ucsf, temple, ucla, uop, nyu, tufts etc etc...and basically there's bad and good things about each school...

I considered temple last year and exchanged many long emails w/ a 4th year (who graduated already) and basically every email consisted of "why the hell would you want to come to temple?" I'm just saying that there's good and bad things about every school.

You'll just have to find the right one for yourself and it'll be unfortunate if you went to the one not right for you...
but remember dental school's dental school...there's NO easy way out.
 
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