Considering quitting D school... Need advice

[ThrowawayKanye]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello anonymous internet people,

I am very stressed out with the workload Dental School has. I obviously knew what I was getting myself into, as I was building all my life to get into dental school. Well Im a D1 international student, and well, I am just so overwhelmed with how much work it really is. I feel like I cannot retain information like the rest of my class. I cannot focus in lectures. I feel that the didactic portion of year 1 is really what's making me feel like I'm drowning. I haven't taken any exams yet, but just the prospect of studying every night until late is brutal on me and my mental health. I'm afraid I'm sinking into a depression already at the start of this 4 year term. I know its common to get nervous for the first round of exams, but I really feel as through I cannot teach myself all the material that I need to learn for exams-- I just feel information overload. I have questioned myself every single day about whether I should drop out and not accrue all the debt that would come with school and find a job to make money from.I have no debts from undergrad. I'm just not sure I can handle the workload-- I did well in undergrad, but now its a whole different sport. It's demanding, and I obviously knew that coming in, but I'm starting to feel pressure from everywhere. My parents in China, my family friends would look down upon me for quitting, and society would look down upon me for not making it. I'm worried about the burnout and the mental anguish. I left undergrad as a 23 year old, and joined dental school right after, and without worry I got in with no struggle. I'm not sure if its the burnout from not having a gap year, but I just don't know what to do. I really love the field and love the lab work I've done so far, yet I'm just not a fan of the didactic subjects of the sciences. I know they're useless and I know memorizing a bunch of random information will not make you a great dentist, but I'm just afraid if I continue it will lead to failure of the semester. I know dropping out means I can never get back in again. What should I do? I have friends as well and am involved. I just feel like my interior is rotting everyday. It's getting harder and harder to wake up and be a functional person. I want to ideally stick it out and make it. I really do. I just worry that I'll fall into such a deep depression with a crazy amount of debt if I don't make a move now on whether I leave or stay. Any advice/criticisms will be greatly appreciated.

I don't want to quit, I REALLY don't, but I feel too worn down by how much energy and effort it is taking me to study. I guess I haven't found my method yet to study. I'm just not sure if I'm cut out to making it all the way through. I cry myself to sleep every night knowing the mountain of work is only going to get larger. I don't know what to do. I want to go talk to a therapist that my school offers. I just feel like I can't get all the information down into my head.

 

[2TH MVR]

Don't quit. The work load going forward will be different and more dentally related. Seems like D1 is just mostly didactic. As you get into D2 and forward ... the courses will be more directed towards dentistry ... which is more relative and interesting. Also ... if you are not planning on specializing .... then do your best with your grades (passing) and make it a goal to be technically proficient. In other words .... spend your energy on what's important.

I wasn't the best or brightest student in my class, but I found a way to get good grades. Also ... and I know this maybe difficult, but find something other than dentistry to "recharge". For myself ... I played tennis and golf with another dental classmate. Every Saturday ... I looked forward to a round of golf or tennis. It kept me sane. I also found time to workout. Exercise and diet. I had to exercise to work off the beers I drank lol.

Don't make dentistry 100% of your life. Find some balance so you don't go crazy. The 4 yrs will go by quickly and before you know it ... you will have achieved your lifelong goal.

Hang in there. 🙂

 

[ThrowawayKanye]

Don't quit. The work load going forward will be different and more dentally related. Seems like D1 is just mostly didactic. As you get into D2 and forward ... the courses will be more directed towards dentistry ... which is more relative and interesting. Also ... if you are not planning on specializing .... then do your best with your grades (passing) and make it a goal to be technically proficient. In other words .... spend your energy on what's important.

I wasn't the best or brightest student in my class, but I found a way to get good grades. Also ... and I know this maybe difficult, but find something other than dentistry to "recharge". For myself ... I played tennis and golf with another dental classmate. Every Saturday ... I looked forward to a round of golf or tennis. It kept me sane. I also found time to workout. Exercise and diet. I had to exercise to work off the beers I drank lol.

Don't make dentistry 100% of your life. Find some balance so you don't go crazy. The 4 yrs will go by quickly and before you know it ... you will have achieved your lifelong goal.

Hang in there. 🙂

How did you go about learning the volumes of information in the didactic subjects? Really starting to freak out that it's so difficult to get it all in there and remain sane..

 

[2TH MVR]

How did you go about learning the volumes of information in the didactic subjects? Really starting to freak out that it's so difficult to get it all in there and remain sane..

Just realize that everyone else has it the same. 1st year sucks. Like I said ... once you start learning actual dentistry ... the material will be more interesting. I didn't have the best study habits in undergrad, but I buckled down in DS.

Are you part of any study groups with your colleagues? That can really help. I know it helped me.

Just hang in there. Realize that everyone else is in the same boat.

Like I said earlier, if you are not specializing and worried about class rank .... you could do your best in the didactic stuff and save your real efforts for the clinic subjects. Triage where you want to place your efforts. This should relieve some stress.

 

[deleted659902]

Hello anonymous internet people,

I am very stressed out with the workload Dental School has. I obviously knew what I was getting myself into, as I was building all my life to get into dental school. Well Im a D1 international student, and well, I am just so overwhelmed with how much work it really is. I feel like I cannot retain information like the rest of my class. I cannot focus in lectures. I feel that the didactic portion of year 1 is really what's making me feel like I'm drowning. I haven't taken any exams yet, but just the prospect of studying every night until late is brutal on me and my mental health. I'm afraid I'm sinking into a depression already at the start of this 4 year term. I know its common to get nervous for the first round of exams, but I really feel as through I cannot teach myself all the material that I need to learn for exams-- I just feel information overload. I have questioned myself every single day about whether I should drop out and not accrue all the debt that would come with school and find a job to make money from.I have no debts from undergrad. I'm just not sure I can handle the workload-- I did well in undergrad, but now its a whole different sport. It's demanding, and I obviously knew that coming in, but I'm starting to feel pressure from everywhere. My parents in China, my family friends would look down upon me for quitting, and society would look down upon me for not making it. I'm worried about the burnout and the mental anguish. I left undergrad as a 23 year old, and joined dental school right after, and without worry I got in with no struggle. I'm not sure if its the burnout from not having a gap year, but I just don't know what to do. I really love the field and love the lab work I've done so far, yet I'm just not a fan of the didactic subjects of the sciences. I know they're useless and I know memorizing a bunch of random information will not make you a great dentist, but I'm just afraid if I continue it will lead to failure of the semester. I know dropping out means I can never get back in again. What should I do? I have friends as well and am involved. I just feel like my interior is rotting everyday. It's getting harder and harder to wake up and be a functional person. I want to ideally stick it out and make it. I really do. I just worry that I'll fall into such a deep depression with a crazy amount of debt if I don't make a move now on whether I leave or stay. Any advice/criticisms will be greatly appreciated.

I don't want to quit, I REALLY don't, but I feel too worn down by how much energy and effort it is taking me to study. I guess I haven't found my method yet to study. I'm just not sure if I'm cut out to making it all the way through. I cry myself to sleep every night knowing the mountain of work is only going to get larger. I don't know what to do. I want to go talk to a therapist that my school offers. I just feel like I can't get all the information down into my head.

it only gets busier and more mentally exhausting from here. if you know you aren't cut out for it, D1 year is the best time to quit both financially and mental health wise. also it's slightly better to quit on your own than to get kicked out. i'd think longer and harder before crossing the bridge.

 

[Faux]

it only gets busier and more mentally exhausting from here. if you know you aren't cut out for it, D1 year is the best time to quit both financially and mental health wise. also it's slightly better to quit on your own then to get kicked out. i'd think longer and harder before crossing the bridge.

I couldn't disagree more. I think the material got more interesting/easier as you progressed. D1 was a complete **** show, never had so many ups and downs emotionally. I had a lot of significant family issues after D1 and still think the years that followed were easier. My ranked may have dropped but I had numerous borderline A grades despite the juggling act I had going on outside school.

Id stick it out OP. Reach out for help if you need to. And don't worry about your friends or family. This is you about you. Give it your all. As cliche as it sounds, just one of those moments that really builds character if you stick to it.

 

[HKSZYU]

Hello anonymous internet people,

I really love the field and love the lab work I've done so far, yet I'm just not a fan of the didactic subjects of the sciences. I know they're useless and I know memorizing a bunch of random information will not make you a great dentist, but I'm just afraid if I continue it will lead to failure of the semester.

I don't want to quit, I REALLY don't.

I think that's your answer. I generally am in the "get out early if you realize it's not for you" camp, but it seems like you actually really like dentistry and do belief it's for you. It sounds like you're just going through the temporary growing pains that many students entering a med/dental program will go through.

I can't necessarily say it gets easier, but you get better at learning how to manage. Right now it might feel completely overwhelming, but over time, you'll acquire study skills that better fit the pace and volume of dental education. Additionally, as the subject matter gets more dentally-relevant, the studying will hopefully feel more enjoyable as it'll be more interesting to you. If there are certain subjects that are particularly hard to wrap your brain around, reaching out to the professor or upperclassmen for study tips can hopefully speed up that transition and get you feeling more confident academically.

Just stay encouraged and realize that things will get better. This can be really hard to do on your own, so lean on your support systems. If you have friends/family nearby, open up to them. There's no shame in being overwhelmed, but don't suffer in silence. Talk to the therapist. Schedule regular appointments if necessary. D-school is a marathon, and you've got to take care of yourself if you're going to get through it.

You can do this!

 

[ThrowawayKanye]

I might start to not go to class and waste my daytime there, rather, learn the material at my own pace in the comfort of my dorm. I'm just figuring out about myself that I cannot process information in a class session, and often get distracted. Rather, I should take my time and watch our schools video recording of the lectures and take it at my own pace, without any classmate distraction/disruption.

I feel the wasting of the 8 hours in the school on lecture is the worst part about it-- and then having to study material I struggled to comprehend and scrambled to take notes on.

 

[evang751]

I might start to not go to class and waste my daytime there, rather, learn the material at my own pace in the comfort of my dorm. I'm just figuring out about myself that I cannot process information in a class session, and often get distracted. Rather, I should take my time and watch our schools video recording of the lectures and take it at my own pace, without any classmate distraction/disruption.

I feel the wasting of the 8 hours in the school on lecture is the worst part about it-- and then having to study material I struggled to comprehend and scrambled to take notes on.

I know a lot of people who do that but you have to be really committed to learn on your own bc it can (in most cases) backfire.

 

[ThrowawayKanye]

I just have been finding major issues in digesting massive amounts of information in tight class periods where I just feel like I dont have time to stop and process exactly what is being said-- especially in subject matter that is novel. It feels like im being drilled 100x/min without break or time to think, so I'm left scrambling to write everything down and not processing actual knowledge.

 

[desertrat12]

Sounds like to do in fact want to be a dentist, so definitely stick with it. At least at my school life gets incredibly easier once didactics are over. So you have good things to look forward to.

As for digesting material...are you wanting to specialize? If no, then every class (regardless of what your school does) is pass fail. Don’t worry so much about being perfect in every class. Just pass. Also, don’t worry if you are forgetting a lot of stuff after exams. The really important stuff tends to get repeated over and over again through the years. Pretty soon you’ll get used to the pace, find your groove, and slog through the didactics without so much worry.

BUT...if you really feel uncharacterisically troubled or down, don’t hesitate to talk with someone, a faculty member, a counselor, a close friend. Don’t suffer in silence. Plenty of people there to help you.

And remember, the school has a financial insentive to keep you in school! Don’t worry about failing out. Work your hardest, make sure the faculty knows you are trying, and if you happen to fail an exam you can likely remediate (at least at my school you can. Plenty of people fail exams here and then remediate).

 

[ThrowawayKanye]

Sounds like to do in fact want to be a dentist, so definitely stick with it. At least at my school life gets incredibly easier once didactics are over. So you have good things to look forward to.

As for digesting material...are you wanting to specialize? If no, then every class (regardless of what your school does) is pass fail. Don’t worry so much about being perfect in every class. Just pass. Also, don’t worry if you are forgetting a lot of stuff after exams. The really important stuff tends to get repeated over and over again through the years. Pretty soon you’ll get used to the pace, find your groove, and slog through the didactics without so much worry.

BUT...if you really feel uncharacterisically troubled or down, don’t hesitate to talk with someone, a faculty member, a counselor, a close friend. Don’t suffer in silence. Plenty of people there to help you.

And remember, the school has a financial insentive to keep you in school! Don’t worry about failing out. Work your hardest, make sure the faculty knows you are trying, and if you happen to fail an exam you can likely remediate (at least at my school you can. Plenty of people fail exams here and then remediate).

No plans on specializing at all. Didactics are whats rough. I love the lab work, and pre-clinical labs, yet I don't love the massive amount of extraneous information I feel is being thrown at me and I'm worried I may struggle to pass in a certain class. I know, I know-- I just have to adjust to keep up with a new style of learning. It's just so daunting to me the amount that is taught, and that is what I have been struggling with. The handskills and motor functions are great actually. I've felt very low in the past month, as I'm sure a lot of people do during first year. It's exciting and its scary. Getting the "I don't know If I'm supposed to be here and should just find another profession" thoughts crowds my mind 24/7 as debt piles on. I think I'm going to adjust next exam cycle by not going to any didactic class and to start to process information at my own pace. Not sure if this is the best course of action, yet I just cannot get out of class as much as I get out of watching a video and having the ability to pause.

 

[Gen. Beauregard]

D1 sucks. I felt the same way you did about wasting time in lecture when what you really need to be doing is learning. I struggled just trying to memorize facts without having an underlying understanding and context to associate those facts with. My answer was to get bitter and sit in the back row and watch stupid videos on my ipad. I don't recommend that, but I did learn some useful study habits from the other back row denizens.
In terms of your morale:
you're not alone, everyone is in the same boat. Remember that.

C's get degrees, brah. Don't worry, you'll get A's too (yeah, you will), but don't get yourself so depressed about missing an A that you can't function.

You're at the base of a mountain looking up at this insurmountable task you have to tackle and wigging out. Don't look up, look at your hands and the ground right in front of you. D-school is day by day, sometimes hour by hour (there's an argument for minute by minute). Stay in the present because that's what real. Your anxiety riddled mind will try and fool you about what the future is like.

To study:
The prof has to write an exam. They have to ask questions about the stuff they presented. Some stuff is more important than others, so they'll probably ask more questions about that stuff. But writing good questions is hard and professors are lazy, so they often reuse questions from previous years and rephrase them a little. Ask upperclassmen what the exams focused on, and that's a good place to devote your attention towards.

There will be a few students in your class who are doing really well and are genuinely kind people who would gladly help you out. There will be even more who are solid middle of the pack students who would be willing to help you out. Get a study buddy and quiz each other on stuff after you've had a chance to learn the material on your own a bit. They'll help fill in your shady areas and vice versa. If your study buddy is dating someone in the class, you'll get their study material too by proxy. The very best is to find someone who is dating an upperclassman. At the very least you'll have someone to commiserate with about how much D1 sucks.

YouTube NBDE part 1 videos. They'll help teach you some of the stuff that your wildly successful researcher, but woefully inadequate educator may have missed the mark on while presenting the topic to the class. YouTube is also particularly helpful in the areas of Biochem, Anatomy & Physiology, Immunology, Pharmacology, Occlusion, and eruption sequences.

I hope some of that helps. It's pretty basic, but sometimes it helps to go back to basics. Also go outside for breaks. Sunshine is profound psychological medicine. You can do it, you are meant to be here, it does get better.