Do you HAVE to travel before dental school?

[stephlynn]

I am graduating in May (berkeley is on semester) and starting UCLA dental in september...so about 4 months off. I have no plans to travel, as it seems so many people are. I don't come from a family of travelers or anything and can't imagine spending so much money that I do not have. I find myself more wanting to work at a dental office that I've been at for the past few years (which I really enjoy, GREAT staff, doesn't even feel like work at all) and make some money before dental school. Do people not recommend this and think I'll regret it? I just think I'd feel more comfortable traveling later when I have more money and might even enjoy it more then?.... what do you all think? thanks

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[UBTom]

Of course if you can't afford to take extravagant vacations like jet-setting around the European Mediterranean coast for a month, you shouldn't do it. But enjoy your vacation before dental school however you can! The most important thing is to "recharge your batteries" before dental school, so you can start off on the right foot.

I'm sure you can find lots of fun things to do in and around CA, it being such a big state and all.

 

[Dentalist]

stephlynn,

You do not have to travel. However, many people recommend to do so because it gives you invaluable experiences of lifetime. The world is diverse and you can learn a lot from traveling.

You said "feel more comfortable traveling later when I have more money and might even enjoy it more then" Many dentists that I talked to told me that, even after dental school graduation, you will be busy working in real world. Thus, you will hardly have much free time to travel until you settle yourself with your own practice or a stable position.

If you are not into traveling, do something else you passionately enjoy.

Dentalist

 

[spooky42]

off course not. do what ever you want. its your free time just enjoy it.

 

[sxr71]

It's up to you really. I assume that if you go sooner that you will finance your trip using credit cards and that if you work first you will have cash.

It all depends on your comfort with acquiring debt and paying it off later. Since you enjoy working at this office so much, then I think you should do it. I don't know what you mean by enjoying your job, since some jobs are basically fun like a social club and are really fun, and others are fun but are fun only because they're interesting for a short while. If your job like the first example then I would keep doing it. If your job is something that might turn into "I'd rather be doing xyz right now," then don' bother. Just relax and honestly I don't think the experience really matters right now, as schools just want to make sure you know what a typical day in the life of a dentist is and whether you can see yourself having those days for the rest of your life.


I think fares are cheaper in the beginning of the season than in the end, so that might be a factor.


Personally, I would just take the vacation early and come back and relax and take a bunch of mini vacations around California for the other 3 months. I would "relax to max" before I start my 4 years of intense back-breaking work.

 

[trypmo]

It seems like you're really happy with the dental office you've been working with, and if I were in your position, I'd definitely stay where you are and enjoy it! I've found traveling can be a great experience OR a totally crappy one, especially if you're not a big traveler to start with (like me!). Continuing to make a little cash before school is IMHO a great idea, and will make your life easier once you get to dent school, BUT perhaps more importantly, spending time with people you really get along with, whether in a work setting or otherwise, is often the best "relaxation" you can give yourself!

Best of luck with whatever you decide!

 

[stephlynn]

Thank you everyone who has replied so far and so fast! I REALLY appreciate all of your thoughts.... anyone else?

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by stephlynn
Thank you everyone who has replied so far and so fast! I REALLY appreciate all of your thoughts.... anyone else?

I responded in the dental forum, but I'll double up here. If you think you need some time to recharge your batteries in order to get through four more years of school, then by all means go recharge If you feel like you've still got some steam left in your engine, though, I'd suggest saving your money. You've got the rest of your career to spend traveling, if you feel like it.

 

[Rezdawg]

Do whatever it is that will allow you to be 100% ready for school when it starts. That could mean doing the work that you enjoy in the dental office, playing video games all day long, sleeping like a bear in hibernation, or travelling.

 

[Jack Worthing]

You might want to visit London for a week or so to get an everyday view of dental pathology... don't they have the worst teeth?

I don't know who wrote this jazz standard, but it's a gem:

Nature Boy

"There was a boy
A very strange enchanged boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea

A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day, he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

I think you just need to be on a cobblestone street in Madrid in order to appreciate nuggets of wisdom like that you know?



Of course I'm kidding. I agree with UBTom... I definitely envy you for all those summer weekends you'll have in Cali ... Who needs a beach half way around the world when you have SoCal?

And I think showing even further commitment to your dental office employer is great.. Cultivating that connection you have could lead to a waiting job offer after dental school- or at the least, great references.

 

[preludexl]

Steph, you are like my oldest bro. He went to ucla then to ucsd for med. The only regret he has is that he didnt do as much fun things and traveled more while in school. Yes, he's got more money now, but guess what? He's also older and less energized.

I didnt take his route. I wanted to see the world and wanted to experience different careers before settling on one. So finally I chose dentistry and am settling on it.....for maybe 10-15 years. I will retire or choose another path after that. But since I graduated, I've gone to hawaii 2x, took 1 cruise, went to China, Mexico, Canada, gone to every state in the west coast. I want to visit my friend in Manhattan, and want to see either, Europe or Southwest Asia, this summer in June if I do get in. I did it with money I saved from work. You can go anywhere no matter how old you are (my grandpa did an African safari hunt in his late 70s); but you will not enjoy it the same way nor see it in the same eyes.

It will not be the end of the world if I dont get in this year, it just means more time for me to meet other people, see new things. I just wish I can live to be 200 and experience the whole world before I die. So many careers, so many places, and only 1 life. The money is always there to be made, but your youth doesnt last forever, and plus you get a lifetime of memories and stories to tell your patients, family, etc., when you are older. When you die, you can't take any money with you, but you can die with happy thoughts and memories of when you could physically jog up to the top of the Great Wall without stopping to take a breath. But that's just my 0.02.

 

[preludexl]

Of course I'm kidding. I agree with UBTom... I definitely envy you for all those summer weekends you'll have in Cali ... Who needs a beach half way around the world when you have SoCal?

It's obvious you are not from SoCal or ever lived there. The beaches in SoCal, especially Santa Monica arent that nice. The sand is coarse, people litter everywhere. It's hard to find a spot without broken glass or debris.

 

[ecdoesit]

Maybe navy dentistry will be good for you, preludexl.
Hey, it is just LA beaches that is with glasses.
Come to San Diego, we have bottle-free beaches. You can step where you want safely.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

preludxl, Great post, and I agree 100%! Sure you could travel after school, but you are going to face many problems if you wait:

1. A debt that will linger unless you work right away to pay it off
2. You will be older and less energized like preludxl said
3. You might be older with committments like a wife and kids, which would make it much more different than travelling as an immature student with no committments right now.

Money should really not be an issue....for people, its really time thats usually the issue, but since you have the whole summer off, then you should go. Flights can be found for very cheap online, and once you are there (depending on the country), you could eat and sleep for really cheap....its very possible.

Personally, Im trying to get as much travelling done as possible right now. My goal is to have visited every continent by the time I graduate dental school....I only have three more to go...S. America, Australia, and Antarctica....S. America will be done before I enter dental school this summer, and Australia will be done during my 1st summer of dental school...

As for Antarctica, Temple offers international externships, so Im gonna try and get one during my senior years for either Chile or Argentina, so I can take a plane to Antarctica when im done....and my goal will be accomplished!

 

[preludexl]

Avingupta: Thanks. You certainly are a world traveler. Good for you, you got some amazing plans. But I think I'll skip Antarctica. I don't like the cold. Yep, you can definitely travel on a budget. My friend is romping through Italy as we speak without a single word of Italian, staying in hostels. Another friend went to Belize with a backback and $400 and spent 3 months there in a village, twice! He's got some great stories to tell. My cruise to Ensenada from LA is gonna cost me $299 only for 4 days.

Ecdoesit: I been to SD many times but have not really walked the beaches much, it was usually near wintry months when I went there. I stayed at Corronado for a couple of days, was cold. But it was cleaner than Santa Monica. I love Hawaii's beaches, not so much the fine sand, but b/c I dont have to look at Ferraris, Benzes, or Bimmers everywhere (mainly at Newport). It's so dang laid back there, almost like Gilligan's Island. My dream is to practice for a while, and then retire in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and everywhere else in between. Have fun at UCLA, I love that school but never did get in as undergrad. Just as well, it's too competitive there.

 

[sxr71]

Originally posted by preludexl
It's obvious you are not from SoCal or ever lived there. The beaches in SoCal, especially Santa Monica arent that nice. The sand is coarse, people litter everywhere. It's hard to find a spot without broken glass or debris.

Besides that there is a lot more to travel than finding a nice beach. It's about learning about and experiencing other cultures and other ways of life. With the right attitude you will enjoy any travel adventure pretty much anywhere in the world.

BTW, I really liked your post and I think you have the right idea about why those inclined to travel should travel. You learned well from your brother's mistakes.


I am a little confused, though, about what you mean by southwest Asia.

 

[sxr71]

Originally posted by avingupta
preludxl, Great post, and I agree 100%! Sure you could travel after school, but you are going to face many problems if you wait:

1. A debt that will linger unless you work right away to pay it off
2. You will be older and less energized like preludxl said
3. You might be older with committments like a wife and kids, which would make it much more different than travelling as an immature student with no committments right now.

Money should really not be an issue....for people, its really time thats usually the issue, but since you have the whole summer off, then you should go. Flights can be found for very cheap online, and once you are there (depending on the country), you could eat and sleep for really cheap....its very possible.

Personally, Im trying to get as much travelling done as possible right now. My goal is to have visited every continent by the time I graduate dental school....I only have three more to go...S. America, Australia, and Antarctica....S. America will be done before I enter dental school this summer, and Australia will be done during my 1st summer of dental school...

As for Antarctica, Temple offers international externships, so Im gonna try and get one during my senior years for either Chile or Argentina, so I can take a plane to Antarctica when im done....and my goal will be accomplished!

I have the same continents to visit too. I don't want to see them all by the time I graduate but at least before I retire.

 

[Westside22]

about the beaches, drive to malibu, the beach is nicer and bit cleaner, get a nice tan, since when school starts, you will spend so much time inside you will get pale

take some road trips, they are fun, and cost less money. If you dont have much money saved, I would advice against traveling abroad, which will cost soooo much money, and when you are on a student budget, don't splurge for the wrong reasons.

work part time if you can, save some money and use that money to furnish your new apt. when you start grad school. The living allowances from loans is usually just enough for rent, some personal spending, etc, but not really for spending on a futon or a bookshelf, etc. So if you have a chance to work say 2 months out of 4 months out of your time off, and you have enough energy to do so, then you should.

just thought I would add my two cents.

 

[stephlynn]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts! I think I have decided to work (which is such a fun office it doesn't even feel like work) down in San Diego and spend time down there as much as possible with my family... especially since I've been up in berkeley away from them! I think the road trip thing sounds more within my budget and style at this time in my life.. good idea Thanks!