Does it look bad if you switch from pre-med to pre-dent?

[TX500]

I have fairly good stats but I don't think I'll be able to get into med school because of the MCAT (specifically, the verbal reasoning section). I took a practice DAT and received a 26, and I have a 3.7 GPA. I have plenty of clinical experience, but nothing dentistry related. I'm thinking about taking the MCAT one more time, and if it doesn't work out, I'll switch to dentistry. How bad will all of this look to adcoms?

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[pinpoint212]

I have fairly good stats but I don't think I'll be able to get into med school because of the MCAT (specifically, the verbal reasoning section). I took a practice DAT and received a 26, and I have a 3.7 GPA. I have plenty of clinical experience, but nothing dentistry related. I'm thinking about taking the MCAT one more time, and if it doesn't work out, I'll switch to dentistry. How bad will all of this look to adcoms?

 

[WastedTime]

it will look terrible.... u will never get in

 

[doc toothache]

There is no problem with your plan, but there is plenty with your motivation.

 

[HopefulDMD88]

Typically, the sentiment you are going to get from particpints in this sub-forum is as follows:

Dental school should not be a back up for medical school applicants.

From what you've provided, I would say you need to observe the field before applying. Just because you like medicine doesn't mean you will necessarily like dentistry. You are confined to the mouth and play the role of a small business owner (found in medicine too, no doubt), among other things. Admissions committees will see right through your transparent application with the lack of dental interest expressed. The dental application even asks if you are applying for other professional schools, so you can't hide it.

Here is my advice:

1.) Finish out the medical application cycle, or apply to medical school if you have yet to do so.
2.) If you get in, great. If not, and you still desire to pursue medicine, get feedback from the schools you applied to.
3.) Strengthen your application as needed and reapply.
4.) Repeat steps 1-3 until you get in or lose your desire to pursue medical school.
5.) Find another career.

Using dental school as a back up (if you get in) might lead to an unsatisfactory career that you can't escape because of debt and takes a spot from someone who has been chasing dentistry as a dream for years.

If, after observing dentistry for a significant amount of time, you find the field interesting and satisfying, no one else nor I would oppose your plan to attend dental school.

/rant

Good luck with whatever you decide; you're obviously intelligent and will find a great career in something.

 

[TX500]

Thanks for the feedback guys...sorry if I offended anyone. Statistically, it's easier to get into dental school than medical school, that's all I was trying to say.

If I do decide to pursue dentistry, I would probably want it to be something that is somewhat related to medicine, such as oral and maxillofacial surgery. I'll probably shadow a dentist this upcoming year...I know the lifestyle and salary are amazing, but I've never really looked into the field (which is funny since my girlfriend is starting dental school this fall). Thanks for the help.

 

[HopefulDMD88]

Thanks for the feedback guys...sorry if I offended anyone. Statistically, it's easier to get into dental school than medical school, that's all I was trying to say.

If I do decide to pursue dentistry, I would probably want it to be something that is somewhat related to medicine, such as oral and maxillofacial surgery. I'll probably shadow a dentist this upcoming year...I know the lifestyle and salary are amazing, but I've never really looked into the field (which is funny since my girlfriend is starting dental school this fall). Thanks for the help.

1.) There are far fewer dental schools than medical schools. Getting into either is difficult.
2.) The entire field of dentistry is related to medicine (think opthamalogy).
3.) Lifestyle and salary are amazing? Boy are you in for a surprise.

 

[HeadgearBraces]

I would probably want it to be something that is somewhat related to medicine, such as oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Why not pharmacy? And what if you don't get into the OMFS residency, would you be happy for the rest of your life as a general dentist or other specialty?

 

[Junebug1665]

Which practice test did you take?

 

[88845]

Typically, the sentiment you are going to get from particpints in this sub-forum is as follows:

Dental school should not be a back up for medical school applicants.

From what you've provided, I would say you need to observe the field before applying. Just because you like medicine doesn't mean you will necessarily like dentistry. You are confined to the mouth and play the role of a small business owner (found in medicine too, no doubt), among other things. Admissions committees will see right through your transparent application with the lack of dental interest expressed. The dental application even asks if you are applying for other professional schools, so you can't hide it.

Here is my advice:

1.) Finish out the medical application cycle, or apply to medical school if you have yet to do so.
2.) If you get in, great. If not, and you still desire to pursue medicine, get feedback from the schools you applied to.
3.) Strengthen your application as needed and reapply.
4.) Repeat steps 1-3 until you get in or lose your desire to pursue medical school.
5.) Find another career.

Using dental school as a back up (if you get in) might lead to an unsatisfactory career that you can't escape because of debt and takes a spot from someone who has been chasing dentistry as a dream for years.

If, after observing dentistry for a significant amount of time, you find the field interesting and satisfying, no one else nor I would oppose your plan to attend dental school.

/rant

Good luck with whatever you decide; you're obviously intelligent and will find a great career in something.

Solid advice above.

OP, what's your MCAT score? The VR section can be improved upon greatly with time and practice. Are you applying to both MD and DO? Also, what specialties in medicine interest you? I ask this because if you're more set on medicine rather than surgery (or other procedural fields) then you might very well hate dentistry.

If you're good to go with a primary care specialty over dentistry then I'd say maybe consider foreign options like SGU, RCSI, UQ-Ochsner, etc. if you're not open to SMPs or re-applying to US schools. Either way, I wish you luck with your decision!

 

[yappy]

OP. You could waltz into most DO schools and secure your career as a physician. Or, you could spend the year reading science papers & news/economic articles to improve your RC.

GL

 

[NDPitch]

There is nothing wrong with switching from pre med to pre dent. I did. And I just got into dental school. But as doc alluded to, abandoning medicine so fast in favor of something else that's "easier" shouldn't be your mindset (mind you, dental school is plenty hard enough to get into). You need to choose your career based on what it is you like to do, not what the lifestyle is or how easy/hard it is to get into the program. Good luck!

 

[nondescriptive]

I have fairly good stats but I don't think I'll be able to get into med school because of the MCAT (specifically, the verbal reasoning section). I took a practice DAT and received a 26, and I have a 3.7 GPA. I have plenty of clinical experience, but nothing dentistry related. I'm thinking about taking the MCAT one more time, and if it doesn't work out, I'll switch to dentistry. How bad will all of this look to adcoms?

If you want to be a doctor, work to be a doctor. If you want to be a dentist, work to be a dentist. You will hate dentistry if you don't have a passion for it.

 

[blacorebea]

I know the lifestyle and salary are amazing, but I've never really looked into the field

 

[littlemisspiggy]

If you want to be a doctor, work to be a doctor. If you want to be a dentist, work to be a dentist. You will hate dentistry if you don't have a passion for it.

Well said

 

[AM4EVA]

There is nothing wrong with switching from pre med to pre dent. I did. And I just got into dental school. But as doc alluded to, abandoning medicine so fast in favor of something else that's "easier" shouldn't be your mindset (mind you, dental school is plenty hard enough to get into). You need to choose your career based on what it is you like to do, not what the lifestyle is or how easy/hard it is to get into the program. Good luck!

And ahem just how did u decide you wanted to be a dentist? Is there a waiting period of some sort for ppl who go from premed to predent??
I just dont get it. Whenever there is a post like this..the claws come out. First of all there are the ppl here on sdn who get sooooooooo mad at those for thinking that dentistry is just as much medicine as med school and blah blah blah blah BUT then when a person, for whatever reason, decides to make the switch its PANDEMONIUM here on sdn!!!
Geez ppl get your viewpoints together
And please dont reply back with sentimental apologies and what not...there will always be ppl who hate it when other ppl make the switch ..idk i feel like these are just haters who never even had the opportunity to apply to.med school
To the op: shoot for the moon and if it doesn't work out you shall land among the stars

Sent from my SGH-T989 using SDN Mobile

 

[nondescriptive]

And ahem just how did u decide you wanted to be a dentist? Is there a waiting period of some sort for ppl who go from premed to predent??
I just dont get it. Whenever there is a post like this..the claws come out. First of all there are the ppl here on sdn who get sooooooooo mad at those for thinking that dentistry is just as much medicine as med school and blah blah blah blah BUT then when a person, for whatever reason, decides to make the switch its PANDEMONIUM here on sdn!!!
Geez ppl get your viewpoints together
And please dont reply back with sentimental apologies and what not...there will always be ppl who hate it when other ppl make the switch ..idk i feel like these are just haters who never even had the opportunity to apply to.med school
To the op: shoot for the moon and if it doesn't work out you shall land among the stars

Sent from my SGH-T989 using SDN Mobile

I decided after shadowing and considering my options. I'm really good with arts and crafts and working with tools. I like talking to people directly; my friends are dentists and helped me to understand what it takes to get through dental school. There is a lot of things to consider.

But I never considered it as a backup option because its "easier". Or be so nonchalant as to say, "oh well, I guess I'll try dentistry". Ask yourself "why dentistry", and if you think what you say would be acceptable to adcom then go for dentistry.

 

[NDPitch]

And ahem just how did u decide you wanted to be a dentist? Is there a waiting period of some sort for ppl who go from premed to predent??
I just dont get it. Whenever there is a post like this..the claws come out. First of all there are the ppl here on sdn who get sooooooooo mad at those for thinking that dentistry is just as much medicine as med school and blah blah blah blah BUT then when a person, for whatever reason, decides to make the switch its PANDEMONIUM here on sdn!!!
Geez ppl get your viewpoints together
And please dont reply back with sentimental apologies and what not...there will always be ppl who hate it when other ppl make the switch ..idk i feel like these are just haters who never even had the opportunity to apply to.med school
To the op: shoot for the moon and if it doesn't work out you shall land among the stars

Sent from my SGH-T989 using SDN Mobile

I switched after I shadowed a bunch of physicians and saw that I didn't like the line of work, and then shadowed in some dental offices and realized I liked it. That took a long time to figure out as I explored a bunch of different settings and offices.

I certainly didn't switch after I took the MCAT thinking that I didn't score well enough, and should then change careers.

 

[Bifenthrin]

I kind of think it's funny that people are getting upset that OP wants to switch from medical to dental.

Mainly because I'm thinking that if I don't get in again this cycle, I might take the MCAT and apply to medical, with the hope of a plastic surgery in otolaryngology residency so I could do facial reconstructions for trauma victims. *coughcough kind of close to OMFS goals coughcough*

 

[DentVols17]

I think getting into dental school and med school are fairly equal in terms of difficulty these days... Just saying.

 

[Sal427]

I kind of think it's funny that people are getting upset that OP wants to switch from medical to dental.

Mainly because I'm thinking that if I don't get in again this cycle, I might take the MCAT and apply to medical, with the hope of a plastic surgery in otolaryngology residency so I could do facial reconstructions for trauma victims. *coughcough kind of close to OMFS goals coughcough*

Lol that's funny.

 

[jlf1042]

If the MCAT is the only thing stopping you from pursuing medicine do you really wanna do it anyway? I'd say give that another go a lot of ppl take both the MCAT and DAT several times, they're just annoying tests. You obviously have everything else, a great GPA and solid extracurriculars so don't let the test get in your way

Your girlfriend is going to dental school? Maybe talk to her to learn more about the field. She clearly must know enough about it!

 

[KittySquared]

Soul searching is in order for the OP. Stick with either route but don't look back with regret.

 

[tpmonaha]

Typically, the sentiment you are going to get from particpints in this sub-forum is as follows:

Dental school should not be a back up for medical school applicants.

From what you've provided, I would say you need to observe the field before applying. Just because you like medicine doesn't mean you will necessarily like dentistry. You are confined to the mouth and play the role of a small business owner (found in medicine too, no doubt), among other things. Admissions committees will see right through your transparent application with the lack of dental interest expressed. The dental application even asks if you are applying for other professional schools, so you can't hide it.

Here is my advice:

1.) Finish out the medical application cycle, or apply to medical school if you have yet to do so.
2.) If you get in, great. If not, and you still desire to pursue medicine, get feedback from the schools you applied to.
3.) Strengthen your application as needed and reapply.
4.) Repeat steps 1-3 until you get in or lose your desire to pursue medical school.
5.) Find another career.

Using dental school as a back up (if you get in) might lead to an unsatisfactory career that you can't escape because of debt and takes a spot from someone who has been chasing dentistry as a dream for years.

If, after observing dentistry for a significant amount of time, you find the field interesting and satisfying, no one else nor I would oppose your plan to attend dental school.

/rant

Good luck with whatever you decide; you're obviously intelligent and will find a great career in something.

This is the best advice.. in my opinion

 

[R3DEUCE]

...

 

[predent12]

I've always felt that dentistry is really just an extension of medicine... it is like an area of specialization. Since several dental schools use the med school curriculum for the first two years, you can always take this angle in interviews.

That being said, if you aren't interested in the actual field itself, then don't apply to dental school. The lifestyle and salary might be great, but if you aren't interested in your job, do you really want to dread going to work every day?

Also, how on earth are you getting a 26 on your DAT but thinking you won't do well on the MCAT? This makes no sense to me.

 

[Surive123]

Thanks for the feedback guys...sorry if I offended anyone. Statistically, it's easier to get into dental school than medical school, that's all I was trying to say.

The matriculation rate is actually higher for medical schools. So, statistically, you are incorrect.

...I know the lifestyle and salary are amazing, but I've never really looked into the field (which is funny since my girlfriend is starting dental school this fall). Thanks for the help.

Must be a troll thread.

 

[user101]

it'll be hilarious if

1 you do not get accepted to dental school

or even more funny when

2 you hate each day for 4 years and then don't get OMS residency

 

[Bottle]

how about you just calm down a little bit ?

breathe and start searching for what really intrests you.

i don't think you like being doctor since you just abandon it because of your mcat score.

i think most if not all the health-field jobs are great. good salary etc.

so it doesn't matter if you are doctor or nurse or pharmacist.

the health-field jobs are exciting, you just gotta find the right spot for yourself.

 

[pinpoint212]

You know what guys, let OP play with the fire.

 

[missdiana]

This thread is hilarious.

I don't think many pre-med people know about life of doctor or medicine but just fascinated by
the title "Doctor"
or the image of House M.D or Grey's anatomy
hahahaha

 

[ushaseos]

You can switch if you want but unless you're making the switch for good reasons (easier doesn't count) and you actually work to show your desire to pursue dentistry, you won't have much luck getting into dental school. Stats aren't everything and I can tell you that because I know many people with worse stats who did better this cycle than me because they were more dedicated to the field and their application must have shown it.

You really need to reassess what it is you're looking for in a career. If all you want is easy money, go be an investment banker. If you want a fulfilling career you're may have to explore more options than just dentistry and medicine.

 

[LaughingGas]

You can switch if you want but unless you're making the switch for good reasons (easier doesn't count) and you actually work to show your desire to pursue dentistry, you won't have much luck getting into dental school. Stats aren't everything and I can tell you that because I know many people with worse stats who did better this cycle than me because they were more dedicated to the field and their application must have shown it.

You really need to reassess what it is you're looking for in a career. If all you want is easy money, go be an investment banker. If you want a fulfilling career you're may have to explore more options than just dentistry and medicine.

Op, it's your choice. However switching to dentistry because it's easy it shows your personality, which is lack of perseverance. You achieved to have good GPA so why not work hard enough for the MCAT?. I know plenty of people that gets disgusted seeing inside the mouth or working with it. And lifestyle nowdays aren't that great. Not sure how you are going to support yourself through professional schools,but federal loan has changed to unsubsidized, which is not helping any of us. Many of us (if I do get in), will be in crap load of debt.Do some soul searching. Choosing a path to pursue a career should have more deeper reasons than "easy".

 

[ballyhoo]

And ahem just how did u decide you wanted to be a dentist? Is there a waiting period of some sort for ppl who go from premed to predent??
I just dont get it. Whenever there is a post like this..the claws come out. First of all there are the ppl here on sdn who get sooooooooo mad at those for thinking that dentistry is just as much medicine as med school and blah blah blah blah BUT then when a person, for whatever reason, decides to make the switch its PANDEMONIUM here on sdn!!!
Geez ppl get your viewpoints together
And please dont reply back with sentimental apologies and what not...there will always be ppl who hate it when other ppl make the switch ..idk i feel like these are just haters who never even had the opportunity to apply to.med school
To the op: shoot for the moon and if it doesn't work out you shall land among the stars

Sent from my SGH-T989 using SDN Mobile

I think what people are upset/annoyed/whatever about is not so much that the OP switched from medicine to dentistry, but more so the reasoning and time taken behind the switch. It seems to me that the reason for the OP switching (and correct me if I'm wrong, OP) is that he/she does not think that (s)he will get into medical school with the MCAT score received. I was a pre-med student who took quite some time into exploring dentistry through shadowing and volunteering before making the switch, and it was not because I thought I had a better shot at one place or the other. The OP is saying that (s)he thinks there's a better shot for dental school just purely based on DAT scores. I think that that is the wrong mindset to pursuing any career and that the OP should consider why (s)he is pursuing medicine or dentistry before choosing one.

 

[iSorin]

as someone mentioned earlier, this just seems like a troll thread haha...this person knows exactly what pisses people off on these forums and is just loving seeing all these reactions

 

[Shazzam]

As someone already mentioned in this thread, why exactly are you not pursuing the DO route? I never understood the logic behind people who want a career medicine but then opt to"settle" for dentistry because the Allopathic route is too difficult for them. You do realize that the average for DS are higher than the average for Osteopathic medicine right? Are the two letters that come after your name really so important that you would consider a completely new career path that you obviously have no desire for?

 

[doc toothache]

as someone mentioned earlier, this just seems like a troll thread haha...this person knows exactly what pisses people off on these forums and is just loving seeing all these reactions

Boredom has it's reward.

 

[dentalWorks]

I have fairly good stats but I don't think I'll be able to get into med school because of the MCAT (specifically, the verbal reasoning section). I took a practice DAT and received a 26, and I have a 3.7 GPA. I have plenty of clinical experience, but nothing dentistry related. I'm thinking about taking the MCAT one more time, and if it doesn't work out, I'll switch to dentistry. How bad will all of this look to adcoms?

With a 26 DAT and 3.7 GPA, the dental schools are going to be too busy having this look rather than pondering if you truely wanted medicine instead.

Whenever you deicde to come to dentistry, I don't think you will not have a problem getting in at all.

 

[doc toothache]

With a 26 DAT and 3.7 GPA, the dental schools are going to be too busy having this look rather than pondering if you truely wanted medicine instead. Whenever you deicde to come to dentistry, I don't think you will not have a problem getting in at all.

Except that, for the moment, we are only talking about a practice dat score. Even with the real McCoy, in the absence of motivation, it is unlikely that adcoms will be taken for a ride.