Columbia Class of 2007 Questions

[StarGirl]

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nah...you still have to know EVERYTHING to pass the exams... but they basically gave us everything to study off of... and books and more books... We're suppose to go to lecture...but some of us Opt to just learn it from what they give us (Lots and lots of syllubus...) and remember we take classes w/ MED students so we learn a lot of stuff in a lot more detail (from what it sounds like compared to other people I've talked to at other schoolS)...
But there's a ton of time to do other stuff... TJ_Lee's the pro at that 🙂 It's a great system...they just don't realize it...and plus I don't think I've ever recall seeing either badaboom or NYBlows at anything other than a few school related meetings...

 

[PDPjester]

Hey stargirl,
you gotta tell me more about that system of yours. currently, I have my doublts how it can work, just studying off the lecture notes. Wouldn't going to class help you understand even more?

In undergrad I used to do that my freshmen soph year, study by myself for exams and stuff, but junior and senior year I realized that going to lectures help in the sense that it keeps you at constant pace with the class, you get know your professor and realize what kind of questions he/she likes to ask, and it shows the professor you are attending the class and putting in effort (which can affect your grades in lil way). so you are saying all these don't matter in dental school? There's gotta be a catch.

 

[gryffindor]

Originally posted by PDPjester
Hey stargirl,
you gotta tell me more about that system of yours. currently, I have my doublts how it can work, just studying off the lecture notes. Wouldn't going to class help you understand even more?

In undergrad I used to do that my freshmen soph year, study by myself for exams and stuff, but junior and senior year I realized that going to lectures help in the sense that it keeps you at constant pace with the class, you get know your professor and realize what kind of questions he/she likes to ask, and it shows the professor you are attending the class and putting in effort (which can affect your grades in lil way). so you are saying all these don't matter in dental school? There's gotta be a catch.

PDPjester, after three years of dental school exam hell, there is no understanding involved in dental school. Here's how it works at my school. The majority of classes involve a stack of printed notes, varying in thickness depending on the number of credit hours the class is worth. Your grade in the course is determined by how well you can memorize those notes and then recall the facts on a multiple choice exam. The better you memorize, the better chance for a higher grade.

Most professors don't know your name. Many don't care if you come to class or not. Those professors that do care about attendance do one of two things. 1) Pass around sign-in sheets with the class list already printed on it; people sign their friends in with no remorse. There is either no impact on your grade or a drop in your grade (if you miss too many classes) associated with this method. 2) Give unnanounced quizzes worth a percentage of your final grade. A sure-fire way to make sure the entire class comes to lecture.

Most classes are a multiple-choice midterm and final. Some classes this year consisted only of a multiple-choice final. The "catch" is the more you memorize, the better you do. As simple as that. If you don't understand something, going to class isn't going to clear it up. You need to read up on your own or make arrangements to go see the professor and try to understand. There is no remorse or "extra points" from the professor - I've lost track of how many classes I earned an 89.5 and got a B because "the syllabus clearly states you need to earn a 90.0 for an A." And you can't say that going to class would have earned me the extra 0.5 - because I am a student that attends EVERY class.

I miss the thinking in college, this rote memorization and multiple choicee has turned me into such a robot.

 

[new york blows]

Originally posted by griffin04
PDPjester, after three years of dental school exam hell, there is no understanding involved in dental school. Here's how it works at my school. The majority of classes involve a stack of printed notes, varying in thickness depending on the number of credit hours the class is worth. Your grade in the course is determined by how well you can memorize those notes and then recall the facts on a multiple choice exam. The better you memorize, the better chance for a higher grade.

Most professors don't know your name. Many don't care if you come to class or not. Those professors that do care about attendance do one of two things. 1) Pass around sign-in sheets with the class list already printed on it; people sign their friends in with no remorse. There is either no impact on your grade or a drop in your grade (if you miss too many classes) associated with this method. 2) Give unnanounced quizzes worth a percentage of your final grade. A sure-fire way to make sure the entire class comes to lecture.

Most classes are a multiple-choice midterm and final. Some classes this year consisted only of a multiple-choice final. The "catch" is the more you memorize, the better you do. As simple as that. If you don't understand something, going to class isn't going to clear it up. You need to read up on your own or make arrangements to go see the professor and try to understand. There is no remorse or "extra points" from the professor - I've lost track of how many classes I earned an 89.5 and got a B because "the syllabus clearly states you need to earn a 90.0 for an A." And you can't say that going to class would have earned me the extra 0.5 - because I am a student that attends EVERY class.

I miss the thinking in college, this rote memorization and multiple choicee has turned me into such a robot.

hmmmm, sounds columbia to me

 

[StarGirl]

you guys are so funny 🙂
I love how you guys bring up only the bad things...yes NONE of the MED professors know me but so far ALL of the Dental Profs know me and one even asked me if I got my lost slow speed replaced multiple times and told me what I should do and even showed me where to go.
PDP~ lectures help if you're an audio learner or you like to be explained about the stuff first before reading and learning it on your own. I am that type of person and I usually go to lecture. They give you a condense syllubus of all the stuff you need to know for some classes and you also have text books for reference.
We're NOT kids anymore...you can't just show effort and get an A. This ISN'T high school! I am sorry but we didn't even have that in undergrad...you get the grade you deserve. And who cares if you get an A or B or C? Stop worrying... You'll do fine and if you work hard you'll end up where you want to be.
YOU MUST LEARN EVERYTHING AND KNOW EVERYTHING FOR THE EXAMs. If going to lecture is what works for you, then by all means GO... It helped me in some classes and it didn't for some. You'll figure out what works and what doesn't. Columbia teaches their students really well...but they're NOT going to hand you a DDS on a GOLD platter by just being accepted.
So far, I know for a fact that Columbia is very thorough in the dental courses. I've helped friends at other school...and they are taught the right procedures etc but by far what Colubmia expects is more "perfect." They're including much more clinical courses earlier on... they're expected to get students into clinic earlier...it's a whole new school from what the 3rd years went thru. It's on a road of improvement and ALL the students are making a differences...but it's people who only complain but doesn't put action into what they want to better that makes the school less enjoyable.

I hope you and everyone else have an enjoyable experience.

 

[Pi__Guy1]

For a minute, I thought I was reading about a debate on NYU...

Let's all just leave Stargirl at Columbia and transfer to UMDNJ across the river...

 

[Pi__Guy1]

holy crap...i've posted 82 times??!?! need to stop posting and study embryo

 

[StarGirl]

Originally posted by Pi__Guy1
For a minute, I thought I was reading about a debate on NYU...

Let's all just leave Stargirl at Columbia and transfer to UMDNJ across the river...

HEY PI_GUY
gee thanks...some friend you are...
and you know I love NYU cause you're there 😛 even tho you always refuse to come hang out w/ us Columbia people 😉

 

[gryffindor]

Originally posted by new york blows
hmmmm, sounds columbia to me

Nope. I attend SUNY Buffalo.

Stargirl, you keep saying "And who cares if you get an A or B or C? Stop worrying... You'll do fine and if you work hard you'll end up where you want to be." You sound like my friends, who tried unsuccessfully for three years to get me to stop worrying about getting the "A." According to them, it doesn't matter, we'll all be dentists anyways.

Dentists, yes. Specialists, no. You can not care for three years, earn mostly Bs & Cs and then apply to Endo, Ortho, or Oral Surgery. They'll laugh, pocket the application fee, and throw your application into the "immediate reject" pile. All of us have worked hard to reach senior year; but the difference between the top tier and the bottom tier at our school is how much you care to strive for that "A." Not that it is impossible to be a specialist if you are not in the top tier, but it'll be a much longer and more difficult road ahead of you.

Having taken mostly dental classes in third year, there are plenty of dental professors who don't know the majority of their students. NY Blows and Acrimonious aren't wrong to say that they are disappointed after three years. You've only been through one year and its great you have so much enthusiasm. I still have a lot of enthusiasm for my school, but am thoroughly worn down and bitter from the system and administrative hassle I've had to go through for three years. I've made the best out of the last three years and taken full advantage of everything my school has to offer and had a good time too, but I'm also very tired.

 

[PDPjester]

Griffin,
you sound like a very reasonable person, and i kinda get the picture you're trying to draw. Do you have any further advice to an incoming first year student? I'm thinking about specializing in oral surgery, and wasn't sure exactly where to put my head. I heard you have to do some research after first and second and so some externships after third, and of course do well on your first boards, but is there anything else? How about joining dental clubs or dental fraternity, volunteering at dental clinics? Does that help too? Is there anything else I should be checking out? and anything else you think I should know before classes start... Thanks.

 

[StarGirl]

Griffin,
No one said Dental school's easy...I get tired too and I'm sure anyone that's in dental school will say the same.
There's just no way any of us will get out of taking ALL these demanding classes...no matter what school you attend we're all faced w/ the same hardships w/ school. Why be bogged down w/ worries about getting a 4.0? Sure it'll help w/ specailities and residency if everything else on your application looks great...but I've heard of so many stores from friends or people I just randomly talk to about how 3.8 or 3.9 people were passed up for people w/ lower GPAs...why spend 4 years being depressed and sad just so you can have that number on a few pieces of paper? I'll much rather have 4 years of laughter and happiness 🙂
I'm not saying to purposely get a C or a B...but why not WORK HARD and just enjoy life as it comes 🙂

 

[PDPjester]

I have a question for the Columbia dental students.
Was the White Coat Ceremony during the evening or during the lunch hours for you guys?

 

[StarGirl]

it was during the day...i think afternoon but i can't recall for sure

 

[pantera]

This thread is quite interesting, and hopefully the new applicants will not take it too seriously.
Personally I believe one has to decide 100% on his/her own when it comes to choosing a school. One should be happy to get lucky enough to have the luxury of choice between 2 ore more dantal schools.
I attended undergrad in new jersey and applied to all dental schools in the nyc metropolitan area (none in connecticut), and got accepted to all of them. I also applied to all the california schools, but only went to the UCSF interview. Finally I had to choose between UCSF and Columbia, and I chose UCSF. Why? well, I based my choice on what I saw or learned during the interviews, and sort of followed my heart as they say. I think I should give myself as much chance as possible to feel happy during the little free time I am going to have in the 4 coming years.
Why didn't I choose Columbia:
1. I have lived in new york for 3 years and noticed that people are too cold, too busy to help or deal with others - this was kind of what I felt at the Columbia interview as well, although the staff and proffesors were trying to be super-nice, most of them are real new yorkers (if you know what I mean)
2. I don't like the fact that they take classes with med students, just because if I wanted to take those classes I would have applied to medical school. One can learn as much details as he/she wants, but should not be forced to learn it all - after all, we are not kids any more, and what happened to free will??
3. They were a little too crazy about specializing, and frankly I don't even know if I want to do that, how could I know right now?
4. I felt that they were not very clinical in orientation, and I want to be able to start my own practice after 4 years if I choose to do so, I want to be confident and not be forced to specialize or get into another program
5. Location - not very safe, students themselves told me it was not safe to take the subway after 6 or 7 pm. I did not want to be in that situation for 4 years of my life
6. Not realistic financial package - yes, I got my fiancial package from columbia, and the housing budget was something like $11000/year or so. Get real, it's new york city, and they should take a look at manhattan rents, after all the school is on the island. And their $2500 budged for expenses or food - give me a break, new york is getting so expenssive and rents are going to increase again, only the subway is $70/month.
7. Weather - I got sick of the humidity, I don't really mind the cold. This was not a main reason but still it makes some difference, because it has to do with me being happier 🙂

I could write in detail about why I chose UCSF, but in a few words I just felt it was the right place for me, academically, financially, and even metereologically 🙂 They also made me feel special because they only accept 3-4 non california residents / year.

Finally I want to say that no one should base their decision on what other people's experiences have been in a dental school. As you can see, there are people in both extremes, some hate Columbia, some love Columbia. I think, just because dental school is so dynamic and loaded with tons of work, if one gets started on the wrong foot it is hard to get back on track. Personally if I hate something from the beginning it will be very difficult for me to change my attitude, and usually I just hate that thing more and more and more.........

There is no perfect dental school, and there is no number one dental school - every dental school can be the best one if it suits you and your expectations.

Good luck to all, and if you have questions feel free to pm me.
Pantera

 

[pantera]

Griffin
I know I will have to give up my free will in choosing classes, and I was not hoping to choose what I want to take at UCSF. However, I think that it is not fair for us dental students to take classes with the medical students and learn the same things. I don't mean that I want to learn less than the med students, but I believe we deserve our own classes, and the material should be taught accordingly to suit the dental field. If I want to learn all the medical details I could read more on my own, but I don't want to be forced to learn all that.
You are scaring me about the extractions, why don't you like them? Personally I don't like the idea either, but I try not to dislike things without trying because if I keep thinking negatively, I will probably end up disliking extractions.
Thanks for the reply,
P.

 

[gryffindor]

Originally posted by pantera
I don't like the fact that they take classes with med students, just because if I wanted to take those classes I would have applied to medical school. One can learn as much details as he/she wants, but should not be forced to learn it all - after all, we are not kids any more, and what happened to free will??

Sorry Pantera, but once you enter dental school, you've just gave up your free will for the next four years. Even at UCSF. This isn't like college where you could choose your classes. Everyone takes the same exact classes that the school decides you need to take, and you have to pass them all regardless if you like them or not. For example, there aren't enough words to express how much I dislike extracting teeth. If I had the option of free will, I'd let my oral surgery bound classmates do all the work. But every semester I have to do several extractions during my Oral Surgery rotation or else I won't pass the rotation.

But everything else you wrote is pretty good advice.

PDPjester, I'm assuming you're starting Columbia in the fall. Doing research after first & second year and externships after third year are good ideas. Check out www.aaoms.org. I think the AAOMS does a great job with the portion of their website dedicated to residencies and externships. You might be able to do an externship earlier than third year, like Yah-E has arranged.

But you should definitely get involved at school. Do stuff you like. You don't have to be class president or class rep to be involved. If you like what the dental fraternity does, join it and look for leadership positions there. I know Columbia has had quite a few national ASDA leaders during my three years of ASDA involvement, if ASDA is something that interests you. Volunteering at a dental clinic never hurts.

I'd also try to shadow some private practitioners in oral surgery and get a feel for what they do. You could maybe go and observe in some of the dental clinics in the hospitals as well. There are so many hospitals and oral surgery programs in NYC, I can't imagine this would be very difficult to arrange.

And one other thing, take advantage of the upper classmen before they leave. After Match Day happens in January 2004, go find the students in the senior class that matched in Oral Surgery and talk to them before they graduate. Find out what worked for them and what obstacles they faced as an applicant to that specialty from your dental school. If they're generous, you could ask them for a copy of their essay/resume so you could see how they write stuff up and what they did. Even if they don't, just talking to them should be of some help (assuming they're reasonable people).

 

[gryffindor]

Sorry pantera, I don't mean to scare you. My point was that you have to do stuff you won't enjoy to graduate dental school. Personally, I just don't like extractions in adults because they are so "final." Once you extract an adult tooth, it's not going to grow back, and this just bothers me. Most of the extractioins they assign us aren't very complicated, so don't be scared. At the beginning of clinic, I tried to give every discipline and specialty a fair shot. After one year of clinic, I've found procedures I like and and don't like, and it's different for everyone.

You'll be fine at UCSF. Obviously you're going in with an open mind, and that's a good thing. Good luck.

 

[Doggie]

Originally posted by Acrimonius
Sorry to tell you this, but there's no such thing as a school cafeteria at Columbia and therefore, no meal plans to purchase. You need to cook by yourself, like most of us do, or go out and eat. Sadly, as you will realized when you get here, there's nothing to eat around our area. Better pick up some cooking skills before coming. Sounds terrible? Welcome to Columbia, where you're not only stressed, but also starved.

I lost 10lbs since I've joined the SDOS plan! That beats jenny craig any day! 😀 actually......not really

 

[Doggie]

I really dont know why people dislike columbia so much......

I am going through my final stretch of 2nd year and still loving it.......I wouldnt say 100% now, cuz I gotta prepare for the boards as well as my WEEKLY EXAMS. Why and how do I not go beserk?? You just gotta find the right balance of study time and good off time. The only way I keep myself sane is to guzzle buckets of beer on the weekends and let go of my worries about the 2 weekly tests on the following monday! Work hard and play hard........very simply aint it?

I may be generalizing, but the ppl who dislike columbia perhaps may be the people who really have no good friends at school. I see a lot of them on campus. Take StarGirl for instance (BTW, I think I know who you are......hehe), she is always smiley, cheery, fun-loving, and not uptight about her grades.......it's really not hard for someone like her to make good friends at columbia. Friends help you stick it through the rough times.

 

[StarGirl]

Originally posted by Doggie
Take StarGirl for instance (BTW, I think I know who you are......hehe), she is always smiley, cheery, fun-loving, and not uptight about her grades.......it's really not hard for someone like her to make good friends at columbia. Friends help you stick it through the rough times.

Why Thank You 🙂
(Who are you????)

Pantera~ don't you find that UCSF is cold year round? You're right, you have to make the choice about what school is best yourself 🙂 I love SF, but I didn't want to be in that city for dental school 🙂 cause it was so close to home 🙂
The subway's perfectly safe 🙂 I've taken it at 3 and 4 in the morning by myself a few times 🙂 and even my first time in NY I took it at 5AM to go to NYU's interview...and I'm still alive 🙂

Definately go check out the school you're planning to attend and make sure it's the RIGHT place fo you...you don't want to end up hating it and being there for 4 years 🙂 It's not an easy 4 years so make it as enjoyable as possible....

 

[antishock]

Originally posted by Doggie
she is always smiley, cheery, fun-loving, and not uptight about her grades.......it's really not hard for someone like her to make good friends at columbia. .

yeah! I know people like that in my school too! They're always cheerful. But after a while I think they're just living in their own little world, thinking that everything is wonderful, yet in reality they have no clue what's really going on. But who cares, as long as you're happy right? Sounds like a little Barbie girl to me.

 

[StarGirl]

Antishock...
I know what's going on, I just don't see a reason to worry about grades and being all hung up on certain things...i am NO barbie girl either! Sorry I wish I was... But like most other dental student I'm basically on loans and just trying to survive 🙂 I do get sad and stuff too but there's no reason to be at Columbia when there's so many wonderful people and the school's always working towards improvement for the students 🙂 Just enjoying life 🙂 and trying to figure out what I want to do like most other dental students 🙂