Going to Medical School After Dental School

Started by DolorousEdd
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DolorousEdd

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Hello. I'm new to these forums, and if there is a better place for this question, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I'm currently a dental student at the University of Iowa. I'm enjoying school for the most part, as I am part of a great class and love patient interaction. However, most of my joy from school comes from the science and medical-related courses, not the dentistry. I find the dental courses (prosthodontics, operative, orthodontics, oral surgery, etc) to be really boring.

I worked at a hospital lab for a year before I went to dental school, and really got a love for pathology. I did very well in my pathology coursework at dental school as well as my boards.

Should I go to medical school afterwords? What about the debt? Would it hurt my chances to be from a completely different profession? When should I start studying for the MCAT? What other questions aren't I thinking of?

Thanks in advance, guys.
 
DolorousEdd said:
Hello. I'm new to these forums, and if there is a better place for this question, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I'm currently a dental student at the University of Iowa. I'm enjoying school for the most part, as I am part of a great class and love patient interaction. However, most of my joy from school comes from the science and medical-related courses, not the dentistry. I find the dental courses (prosthodontics, operative, orthodontics, oral surgery, etc) to be really boring.

I worked at a hospital lab for a year before I went to dental school, and really got a love for pathology. I did very well in my pathology coursework at dental school as well as my boards.

Should I go to medical school afterwords? What about the debt? Would it hurt my chances to be from a completely different profession? When should I start studying for the MCAT? What other questions aren't I thinking of?

Thanks in advance, guys.
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why don't you apply to become an oral pathologist then? it's what you want to do, doesn't require you to go through 4 years of med school and more years of residency, and you will be a specialist who works primarily in hospitals.
 
What year are you? If youre Early on you might consider applying asap and just switch...1-2years down the drain? Maybe...but your career will last til youre 55-60 so two years is a drop in the bucket

If youre d3 or d4 id stick it out. A dental degree is a nice fallback to have. If you want to do med school after you can work as a dentist while waiting to matriculate/summer m1 year/moonlight to keep those bills down

You need to think about debt tho. 200k in dschool debt...250-300k med scholl debt compounded over the next 10 years (application/med/residency) is gonna make you a poor poor man.

The oral path route is unrealistic...there are only a handful of spots in the country
 
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I considered the oral pathology route, but it seems really limiting as far as job scope and job locations.

My biggest concern is how my application to medical school would go if they see I'm a dental school dropout. No matter if the profession wasn't for me, it's still a commitment that I didn't fufill.
 
DolorousEdd said:
I considered the oral pathology route, but it seems really limiting as far as job scope and job locations.

My biggest concern is how my application to medical school would go if they see I'm a dental school dropout. No matter if the profession wasn't for me, it's still a commitment that I didn't fufill.
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i don't know jack but imo being a dental student would help you stand out and actually help your med school app provided you adequately explain why you want to switch
 
you can do a combined oral path/medicine then? It is limited in scope of practice but thats what a specialist gets
 
DolorousEdd said:
I considered the oral pathology route, but it seems really limiting as far as job scope and job locations.

My biggest concern is how my application to medical school would go if they see I'm a dental school dropout. No matter if the profession wasn't for me, it's still a commitment that I didn't fufill.
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This will be your biggest adversarial factor. Plus youll have to submit your grades from dental school, and if those arent really good youre gonna look even worse
 
crownme said:
Why did you decide to go to dental school in the first place?
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I think a lot of people feel like he does when they get into dental school. I did. Until you actually sit there and do the work (preps, lab work, blah) you dont know if youll like it. And i know i at least chose dental over medical based on the advice of 5 MDs and 3 dentists. What i didnt realize at the time is that MDs love making their jobs sound a pot worse than it is, and dentists like making it seem better.
 
I considered medicine after dental school and I do not think it is financially plausible. Especially with the unknown regarding health care. I'd consider oral path... or oral medicine and enter the academic world.
 
DavesNotHere said:
I guess i cant for sure. But im around MDs 10 hours a day 5 days a week working right along side them now...gives me a pretty solid idea.
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So you're saying they're just exaggerating their claims so you don't follow in their footsteps? Professionals don't usually discourage people from their profession unless they have some strong feelings about it.
 
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AwesomeTeeth said:
So you're saying they're just exaggerating their claims so you don't follow in their footsteps? Professionals don't usually discourage people from their profession unless they have some strong feelings about it.
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Ha...i think youre putting words in my mouth. But i think physicians as a group present their occupation as a lot harder and less rewarding than it is. I dont know their motives.
 
+1. I agree with this.

DavesNotHere said:
i think physicians as a group present their occupation as a lot harder and less rewarding than it is. I dont know their motives.
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OP: If you're intersted in human disease/medicine; why not get a phd and do an eductaion career track? That way you dont have to go into so much debt and still learn about pathology, do research and teach.
 
I heard the other day of guy (who back in the 70's-80's) graduated from dental school, immediately started and finished medical school in 3 years (allowing him to double up and skip a year since he took many of the same courses in dental school), complete general surgery training (5 yrs), then complete a plastics fellowship (2-3 yrs). He was 37 or 38 by the time he was finished with all of his schooling. It can be done. Oh, and he still holds his dental license.
 
MrWilson said:
It can be done. Oh, and he still holds his dental license.
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There was a student in the year below me who applied for medical school during his 4th year of dental school and was accepted. He is in his last year of med school now... a super intelligent guy who just never fell in love with dentistry. He had amazing MCAT scores and a very very good GPA, however, had a *real* tough time explaining himself and most schools took a pass. All is takes is one school and you get your MD.

I would encourage you to look at ALL possible dental avenues first, such as MD-OMFS, oral medicine, periodontics. These aspects of dentistry will give you more of a medical-based model rather than just class II MOD or tell-show-do all day long.

Who knows... after being through something similar in my first couple of years of dental school, I am happy that I never made that change as I now love what I do on a daily basis. And I sleep well at night knowing that nobody will die of a denture sore or a loose temporary 🙂.
 
MrWilson said:
I heard the other day of guy (who back in the 70's-80's) graduated from dental school, immediately started and finished medical school in 3 years (allowing him to double up and skip a year since he took many of the same courses in dental school), complete general surgery training (5 yrs), then complete a plastics fellowship (2-3 yrs). He was 37 or 38 by the time he was finished with all of his schooling. It can be done. Oh, and he still holds his dental license.
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I had a research mentor in college who followed the same path in the late 70s and 80s. 4 years dental, 4 years medical, and then many years of residency and fellowship to become a Head and Neck Surgeon specialized in Oncology. He grew up with a father who was a dentist. He tried so hard to convince me while I was still in college in the late 90s to go to medical school, said he had been to both and had friends in both and the opportunity in medicine was just so much greater. That may have been true in 1998, but I wonder if he would still say the same thing today.
 
First off, thank you all for the input.

I did consider the PhD aspect of things (as I really love to teach as well), but I think I would be missing out on patient care, and that is truly one of the joys of the job.

It's good to hear about all these people who have at least had a similar "mid-dental school crisis" like me. Good to know I'm not the only one!
 
if op does not want to be a dentist and wants to go med thats fine, its a personal choice...


to op, consider OMFS if you like the medical aspect, you gotta do outstanding in your basic sciences tho

otherwise its your life, if you want to do med start studying for the MCAT and do well, if it takes 4 extra years whatever 40 years for now you are going to hate yourself for not rolling the dice if thats your calling
 
I know you never wanted to see half the things you've seen, and have never seen half the things you wanted to see, but please reconsider dentistry. Having been to medical school, you'll likely be disappointed by how "non medical/scientific" the majority of clinical medicine is if you're having that problem with dentistry. If you're interested in dealing with more complex aspects of patient care, consider OMFP or OMFS, you'll be able to find a happy medium, live a good lifestyle and not saddle yourself with additional debt for little benefit.

Oral pathology (as a career) is not nearly as bleak as people on SDN are making it seem, and there are still valid "medical mysteries" that need solving in the OMFP and OMFS worlds (Dealing with TMD patients for example, is very complex and rewarding for people who enjoy treating it).

More than anything though, I'm worried you may have an idea of what medicine is like that may not be accurate, and I'd hate for you make a huge mistake by leaving dental school. What is it that you're looking to gain from switching to a career in medicine, and what are your expectations from it?
 
Have you considered dental anesthesiology? You could still get patient interaction, but also go into academics and research later if you liked.
 
In all honesty, I think you should finish dental school and think about where to go from there. We all have days in dental school where we want to throw up our hands and ask "why am I doing this?" But you just have to push through it. It would be wiser to suck it up through the next 2 years and graduate then head into dangerous waters as a drop out. A decision like that can haunt your life forever.
 
awesometeeth said:
in all honesty, i think you should finish dental school and think about where to go from there. We all have days in dental school where we want to throw up our hands and ask "why am i doing this?" but you just have to push through it. It would be wiser to suck it up through the next 2 years and graduate then head into dangerous waters as a drop out. A decision like that can haunt your life forever.
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+1.
 
why don't you just go up to finkelstein's office and ask him what all he does in a day?? I talked to a oral resident path and they spend a lot of tim ein the hospital.
 
DolorousEdd said:
Hello. I'm new to these forums, and if there is a better place for this question, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I'm currently a dental student at the University of Iowa. I'm enjoying school for the most part, as I am part of a great class and love patient interaction. However, most of my joy from school comes from the science and medical-related courses, not the dentistry. I find the dental courses (prosthodontics, operative, orthodontics, oral surgery, etc) to be really boring.

I worked at a hospital lab for a year before I went to dental school, and really got a love for pathology. I did very well in my pathology coursework at dental school as well as my boards.

Should I go to medical school afterwords? What about the debt? Would it hurt my chances to be from a completely different profession? When should I start studying for the MCAT? What other questions aren't I thinking of?

Thanks in advance, guys.
Click to expand...

Hey. I highly recommend a PhD in molecular biology and genetics or microbiology rather than medical school.
 
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Im trying to convince myself that its normal to dislike dental school, is it?
 
Last edited:
There are several 4 year DMD programs and CWRU has the only 5-year DMD/MD in the country. It's a more practical life decision. Instead of just dropping out In my opinion.
 
You know what !? At the end of the day the most important thing is that you guys are happy. Don't do anything you are miserable doing. If you don't like dentistry, you probably won't like OMFS. This just goes to show how important it is to get ample shadowing and volunteer experiences in dental! I wish you guys the best of luck!
 
OutRun said:
A few years ago, I almost committed to enrolling in a PhD program. Never again!
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phd072011s.gif


This was posted on my lab's door.
 
DolorousEdd said:
Hello. I'm new to these forums, and if there is a better place for this question, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I'm currently a dental student at the University of Iowa. I'm enjoying school for the most part, as I am part of a great class and love patient interaction. However, most of my joy from school comes from the science and medical-related courses, not the dentistry. I find the dental courses (prosthodontics, operative, orthodontics, oral surgery, etc) to be really boring.

I worked at a hospital lab for a year before I went to dental school, and really got a love for pathology. I did very well in my pathology coursework at dental school as well as my boards.

Should I go to medical school afterwords? What about the debt? Would it hurt my chances to be from a completely different profession? When should I start studying for the MCAT? What other questions aren't I thinking of?

Thanks in advance, guys.
Click to expand...

Greetings,

If you find the bread and butter of dentistry is boring, then clearly this is not the field for you. If you like pathology then you should go into medicine and specialize in pathology. You will find it less restricted than the dental route. If you want to do oral pathology, most likely you will work in dental school and the pay is much less than private practice. In my opinion, going through DS with the sole intention of doing oral path is not a practical option. DP
 
I started dental school with serious doubts about the career. I know it is a "great profession" but Dentistry was never my calling. It hasn't grown on me at all and I think I made a mistake entering this field. I always wanted to be a physician but was afraid of the residency post-school. Did you end up applying to Medical school? I am in my second year of dental school. Should I withdraw and study for the MCAT? help
 
ACLD said:
I started dental school with serious doubts about the career. I know it is a "great profession" but Dentistry was never my calling. It hasn't grown on me at all and I think I made a mistake entering this field. I always wanted to be a physician but was afraid of the residency post-school. Did you end up applying to Medical school? I am in my second year of dental school. Should I withdraw and study for the MCAT? help
Click to expand...

You're going to hear the same advice repeated. 2nd year is the worst. It gets better in clinic with years 3 + 4. When you graduate you'll make easier (not better/more) money than most physicians. And as a DA i get but a small taste of medicine, but it is difficult and intensive...and a medical residency truly is very demanding

My advice:

1.) if medicine is your calling (not that you hate dental and medicine seems better) then take the mcat and apply to med school.

2.) consider a specialty...perio, oral medicine, tmj, anesthesia, ortho although dental derivatives are very different than the humdrum amalgams and dentures of being a gp

3.) regardless of your decision i wouldn't drop out at any point, because that is an irreversible step that may screw you

If it makes you feel any better a lot of denties question their decisions 2nd year
 
I have a classmate in DS who was about to apply to medical school in undergrad but after shadowing his dentist cousin, changed to dentistry. After his first taste of tooth carving, handy work, dentsim, and relatively boring dental coursework (as opposed to medical courses), regrets coming to dental school and wishes he had gone to medicine. Still he's sucking it up and isn't planning on dropping out. There's already too much invested after the first semester. He definitely has what it takes to specialize in OMFS and I think he's considering that route. There's also a medical student who is unusually taking dental classes with us. I think he's a medical student who wants to specialize in OMFS and juggles medical school with dental courses. Perhaps the reverse can work for you although I don't know how you could justify taking medical school courses on top of dental school the same way you justify taking dental courses in medical school for the purposes of OMFS.
 
Thank you for your responses. I agree that dropping out at any point would be a big mistake and I am going to focus on 2nd year and have a positive attitude. Maybe my feelings will change as having a family and being a very available wife and mother is my top priority in life and Dentistry offers that flexibility. If I still am unhappy I will try to find time to study for the MCAT and only if I get super solid scores will I bite the bullet and make the switch. Its unfortunate that I made this mistake but perhaps like everything in life this was meant to be. Its too bad I didn't listen to my gut all along telling me not to give up on my dream of going to medical school and becoming a physician.
 
sgv said:
I have a classmate in DS who was about to apply to medical school in undergrad but after shadowing his dentist cousin, changed to dentistry. After his first taste of tooth carving, handy work, dentsim, and relatively boring dental coursework (as opposed to medical courses), regrets coming to dental school and wishes he had gone to medicine. Still he's sucking it up and isn't planning on dropping out. There's already too much invested after the first semester. He definitely has what it takes to specialize in OMFS and I think he's considering that route. There's also a medical student who is unusually taking dental classes with us. I think he's a medical student who wants to specialize in OMFS and juggles medical school with dental courses. Perhaps the reverse can work for you although I don't know how you could justify taking medical school courses on top of dental school the same way you justify taking dental courses in medical school for the purposes of OMFS.
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Which DS is this at?
 
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This is just another way to look at it. Why does our career have to be our passion? If playing GTA V paid $150k and allowed me to have flexible work hours and spend time with family, then I would do that right now. I know plenty of people who are accountants or managers working at a desk that stare at spreadsheets and computers all day that love/hate their jobs--not necessarily because of WHAT they do, but because of their work conditions, the people around them, etc. Your job should be fulfilling, but not the only source of fulfillment.

If I was going to be alone for the rest of my life doing one thing, I would not do dentistry. But dentistry allows me to live the life I want--fill my office with people and staff that I enjoy and are uplifting, spend time with my family, and make a stable income to support a top-tier lifestyle (not that I want to live rich, but compared to the average american...).

In the end though, its your life. You are in control. If one day you want to sell your practice, quit dentistry and come play GTA V with me, I'll be there. I personally just don't get all of my fulfillment in life out of my career.

Or go to med school if none of that sounds good to you.

This is what you get when you ask a bunch of dental students in a forum.
 
DolorousEdd said:
Hello. I'm new to these forums, and if there is a better place for this question, please don't hesitate to tell me.

I'm currently a dental student at the University of Iowa. I'm enjoying school for the most part, as I am part of a great class and love patient interaction. However, most of my joy from school comes from the science and medical-related courses, not the dentistry. I find the dental courses (prosthodontics, operative, orthodontics, oral surgery, etc) to be really boring.

I worked at a hospital lab for a year before I went to dental school, and really got a love for pathology. I did very well in my pathology coursework at dental school as well as my boards.

Should I go to medical school afterwords? What about the debt? Would it hurt my chances to be from a completely different profession? When should I start studying for the MCAT? What other questions aren't I thinking of?

Thanks in advance, guys.
Click to expand...
Any update to what you decided to do? In the same shoes as you right now as a D3…
 
dentalchamp98 said:
Any update to what you decided to do? In the same shoes as you right now as a D3…
Click to expand...
Y’all are crazy. If you think dental school is boring, you have no idea how bored you’ll be in med school where half of it is teaching yourself from videos and half is glorified shadowing. Ask dual degree OMFS guys how going through med school is like after finishing dental school.

Most people don’t like dental school. World of private practice is much different. If you really can’t stand it, become an oral pathologist. Or specialize to limit yourself to one aspect of dentistry.
 
dentalchamp98 said:
Any update to what you decided to do? In the same shoes as you right now as a D3…
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t drop out. If you really want medical school I’d apply D4 and then moonlight as a dentist while you do med school. It’d be easy after already doing graduate level work. There’s also when you have to graduate and make some flipping money folks.
 
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