Hey everyone. I am new to this side of things.
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Dat?
- Thread starter cmyoung83
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are you for real?
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Hey the science portion of the DAT should be pretty similar to the MCAT. The science questions are all pretty straight forward. You will be tested on Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. There is a reading comprehension section and a quantitative reasoning section.
The DAT also has a section called Perceptual Ability Test (PAT). This part is probably the one thing that you haven't seen on your quest through medical school. The PAT is basically looking at a 2-D object/shape and imagining it in a 3-D format.
Practice Material-
To practice for my DAT I just took a bunch of practice tests. Practice tests you can purchase:
-Top Score (possibly the closest to the real thing all around)
-Ace the DAT (the PAT portion is crazy... it helped a lot)
-KAPLAN ( A Kaplan book usually comes with a paper test and a CD test)
-ADA (One test is free and available online. The ADA also sells a test that you can buy. Its the closest thing you will get to the DAT because its made by the same people)
If you just want to practice the PAT- I hear Crack the PAT is pretty good. I never used it. I just practiced and practiced.
Go through some practice tests and just see where you are weak. Then spend your time studying to fill those holes.
GOOD LUCK!
The DAT also has a section called Perceptual Ability Test (PAT). This part is probably the one thing that you haven't seen on your quest through medical school. The PAT is basically looking at a 2-D object/shape and imagining it in a 3-D format.
Practice Material-
To practice for my DAT I just took a bunch of practice tests. Practice tests you can purchase:
-Top Score (possibly the closest to the real thing all around)
-Ace the DAT (the PAT portion is crazy... it helped a lot)
-KAPLAN ( A Kaplan book usually comes with a paper test and a CD test)
-ADA (One test is free and available online. The ADA also sells a test that you can buy. Its the closest thing you will get to the DAT because its made by the same people)
If you just want to practice the PAT- I hear Crack the PAT is pretty good. I never used it. I just practiced and practiced.
Go through some practice tests and just see where you are weak. Then spend your time studying to fill those holes.
GOOD LUCK!
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any time...you take it in a prometric testing center. You have to wait 90 days between retakes..and you have to apply to take it through the ADEA/ ADA if you google it you can find the website easy. You can only take it 3 time max unless you have special circumstances. Next year taking it will be nice b/c there is a one time fee to send it in to all dent schools you apply to. This year and previous years you have to pay an additional $25 per school.
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Just curious, why are you making the switch from medicine to dentistry? I can't imagine the financial strains you will encounter after you graduate from dental school.
If you want to be admitted for Fall 2011, you are already a bit late in starting this whole application business. Yes, most deadlines for application are not until December, but realistically you need to apply early (as in by August). Dental schools already have a large portion of their class filled by December 1st, and if you don't submit your app until then, you'll be competing for a lot less seats and won't have interviews until the spring. But your situation is unique since you've already graduated from med school, so that is something adcoms are definitely going to take an interest in.
If you are looking for study materials/techniques for the DAT, you'll find a lot more info in the DAT forum.
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Also remember to sign up for a DENTPIN through the ADA website because you need that to register for the DAT via the Prometric website.
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👍👍 He's right.
December is considered very late to apply. I'd say realistically that the latest time you can apply and have a good chance is by the end of august. DAT science questions are not like MCAT questions. They are not associated with passages. Good luck!
Thanks for all your replies.
I thought a little about OMFS, it seems like a logical choice since I do have an MD, but I think general dentistry is what I ultimately want.
I'm going to study for the next 1-2 months and apply mid september. Hope this works out.
I thought a little about OMFS, it seems like a logical choice since I do have an MD, but I think general dentistry is what I ultimately want.
I'm going to study for the next 1-2 months and apply mid september. Hope this works out.
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This has GOT to be a joke. If it's not... wow... I don't know what to say but wow.
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I suppose that most people would figure that out sometime during medical school (or long before) and make the switch then. To graduate and take all the licensing exams simply to say "what the hey, I'll give dentistry a shot" is pretty ridiculous. I just can't imagine any person would endure 4 years of med school to turn around and immediately start it all over again. I mean, why didn't you figure this out earlier?
First of all, you take the licensing exams during medical school, so by the time I graduated I was done with all my exams. Secondly, when all my clinical rotations were over- there wasn't any medical field that I could see myself happy doing for the rest of my life. I probably realized that I didn't want to practice medicine half way through my third year, but I wasn't going to just up and quit. A medical degree and medical knowledge is valuable. Plus, I don't think it will hurt when I do apply to dental school. stop hating.
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Do what makes you happy, but I'd personally just stick w/ medicine if I were you. Think about the endless opportunities you have just w/ that. A dentist has a lot of similar opportunities, but not quite as much. Just think about the debt though! 😱
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Well dang, that's gotta be nice. Good luck then w/ all of your endeavors.
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honestly i can see where you are coming from with the switch, i know of several who did it. I'd probably do the same thing if i really hated it. You only live once, might as well enjoy what you do while you are here! Good luck with everything and i don't think it will be to late for you to apply in early september, late august, you will definitely catch school's attention and they will like to interview you!
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What a ridiculous thing to say!
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The reason I thouht it was a joke is I would think that someone with a medical degree would know how to find out what's on the DAT. And to ask "What is the gist of the DAT?"... What kind of question is that? What are you even asking?
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damn girl...you nuts. did you not get into a residency or something? lol
