How to not fail out of med school

[Ellatha]

Hey all,

I was in dental school and was on the verge of failing out before withdrawing. I am considering going to medical school, but am worried that I’ll also fail out of med school. My reasons for failing my dental classes:

1. I had a severe mental illness that was impacting my ability to study (now on medications)
2. I wasn’t studying enough.
3. I’m not good with my hands.
??

I scored in the 99th percentile on the DAT and graduated from my university with a 3.55 GPA.

It seemed like in dental school the professors were testing us on stuff they didn’t lecture about. Exams were much harder than undergrad. I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.

My professor told me that dental school is as hard as medical school.

Any advice?

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[M&L]

Why are you considering going to medical school?

 

[Ellatha]

Why are you considering going to medical school?

I love biology for one. I dislike using my hands, however. I'd prefer treating pathology.

 

[M&L]

I love biology for one. I dislike using my hands, however. I'd prefer treating pathology.

ok, i think you need to look deeper into medicine, - like, you need to shadow more, - because even if you do pathology for residency and beyond, you would still need to do direct patient contact and rotations in all departments for 2-3 years. In my school, we start direct patient care since second week of classes. SO, you need to think whether you will be comfortable with it. You will have to interract with people, - crying, upset, sick, sometimes needy people, and touch them, and talk to them, etc. It might be overwhelming.
Do consider pathology assistant position maybe as an alternative? they make really good money, and they just do pathology. That was my backup option if medical school didnt work out.
I am not trying to talk you out of it, i am just trying to give you different options to consider. Just to make you more comfortable.

Also, medical school can be very rough. It is very intellectually demanding, you need to do a lot, fast, at the same time, and you need to study A LOT. my IQ is off the chart, but it was so rough the first semester, i was actually thinking that maybe i was not smart enough to be a doctor (turned out i just needed to improve my study strategy). Also, you do need to be good with your hands as a pathologist, at least through the residency... Sort of. ...

anything, it is rough. I am sorry this is such a hard choice. One thing i know for sure, - dont do medicine unless you are absolutely sure. Because it will suck the living soul out of you, and you will sometimes just have that love alone to rely on, to keep you going. If you dont, - you will just hate yourself even more.

 

[Ellatha]

ok, i think you need to look deeper into medicine, - like, you need to shadow more, - because even if you do pathology for residency and beyond, you would still need to do direct patient contact and rotations in all departments for 2-3 years. In my school, we start direct patient care since second week of classes. SO, you need to think whether you will be comfortable with it. You will have to interract with people, - crying, upset, sick, sometimes needy people, and touch them, and talk to them, etc. It might be overwhelming.
Do consider pathology assistant position maybe as an alternative? they make really good money, and they just do pathology. That was my backup option if medical school didnt work out.
I am not trying to talk you out of it, i am just trying to give you different options to consider. Just to make you more comfortable.

Also, medical school can be very rough. It is very intellectually demanding, you need to do a lot, fast, at the same time, and you need to study A LOT. my IQ is off the chart, but it was so rough the first semester, i was actually thinking that maybe i was not smart enough to be a doctor (turned out i just needed to improve my study strategy). Also, you do need to be good with your hands as a pathologist, at least through the residency... Sort of. ...

anything, it is rough. I am sorry this is such a hard choice. One thing i know for sure, - dont do medicine unless you are absolutely sure. Because it will suck the living soul out of you, and you will sometimes just have that love alone to rely on, to keep you going. If you dont, - you will just hate yourself even more.

Okay, but I don't think the passion is lacking. If I do get into med school, how do you recommend I go about studying?

My dental school professor told me that "with my intelligence," medicine would be a good fit for me. When I asked him why so many students failed his exam, he simply responded that "they don't understand how grad school works."

 

[M&L]

Okay, but I don't think the passion is lacking. If I do get into med school, how do you recommend I go about studying?

My dental school professor told me that "with my intelligence," medicine would be a good fit for me. When I asked him why so many students failed his exam, he simply responded that "they don't understand how grad school works."

well, medical school is all about self-study, teaching youself things. So, i think once you start preparing for MCAT you will get a good feel for what it would be like. Definitely get a lot of shadowing and volunteering, because i bet EVERYONE will ask you why you left dental school... So you will need a good reason of why you are sure you want to do medicine.
If you do well on MCAT, just go to center of academic development when you get accepted, and they will help you figure out that you are doing wrong.

 

[Ellatha]

well, medical school is all about self-study, teaching youself things. So, i think once you start preparing for MCAT you will get a good feel for what it would be like. Definitely get a lot of shadowing and volunteering, because i bet EVERYONE will ask you why you left dental school... So you will need a good reason of why you are sure you want to do medicine.
If you do well on MCAT, just go to center of academic development when you get accepted, and they will help you figure out that you are doing wrong.

Do you think it would be a good idea to study the USMILE Step 1 study book the summer before I start medical school? I assume my classes will cover the same material.

 

[JSReed]

Ok you seem to have missed the point above, so I'll try my hand at stating it a little more strongly.

You claim to have been close to failing out of dental school before withdrawing. What makes you think medical school will be easier? From what I understand (not a dental student), its literally the same topics for the first couple years. Not being good with your hands is fine, but you need to a) get your mental health sorted, b) figure our why you're not studying well and fix that asap. Given that you didn't do so hot in dental school, sounds like postbacc might be a good way to test some of that out (and undo some damage).

Please note that unlike some masters programs, transferring between different health doctoral programs is not as easy as checking a box. You'll have to take the mcat and reapply, and I'm not sure how you're going to overcome dodgy dental school grades to show admissions that you won't fail out. You've got a very uphill battle, lets focus on getting in before we figure our your step 1 strategy.

 

[Ellatha]

Ok you seem to have missed the point above, so I'll try my hand at stating it a little more strongly.

You claim to have been close to failing out of dental school before withdrawing. What makes you think medical school will be easier? From what I understand (not a dental student), its literally the same topics for the first couple years. Not being good with your hands is fine, but you need to a) get your mental health sorted, b) figure our why you're not studying well and fix that asap. Given that you didn't do so hot in dental school, sounds like postbacc might be a good way to test some of that out (and undo some damage).

Please note that unlike some masters programs, transferring between different health doctoral programs is not as easy as checking a box. You'll have to take the mcat and reapply, and I'm not sure how you're going to overcome dodgy dental school grades to show admissions that you won't fail out. You've got a very uphill battle, lets focus on getting in before we figure our your step 1 strategy.

I don’t have a dental school transcript. Everything is a W and my GPA is fine.

I don’t think that med school is easier than dental school. I just prefer it over dental school.

I understand that I’ll have to take the MCAT and re-apply. I was only wondering whether I could get ahead early by studying the STEP 1 book (since the same material is covered in med school). My biggest concern is failing out of med school after I get in.

 

[M&L]

Do you think it would be a good idea to study the USMILE Step 1 study book the summer before I start medical school? I assume my classes will cover the same material.

DEFINITELY NOT. Step 1 is based on the first two years of medical school. You will not have enough knowledge to even comprehend the material before medical school. Dont.

 

[Goro]

Hey all,

I was in dental school and was on the verge of failing out before withdrawing. I am considering going to medical school, but am worried that I’ll also fail out of med school. My reasons for failing my dental classes:

1. I had a severe mental illness that was impacting my ability to study (now on medications)
2. I wasn’t studying enough.
3. I’m not good with my hands.
??

I scored in the 99th percentile on the DAT and graduated from my university with a 3.55 GPA.

It seemed like in dental school the professors were testing us on stuff they didn’t lecture about. Exams were much harder than undergrad. I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.

My professor told me that dental school is as hard as medical school.

Any advice?

With a history of failing dental school classes, and with the red flag of mental health issues, I can't recommend Medicine.

 

[M&L]

I don’t have a dental school transcript. Everything is a W and my GPA is fine.

I don’t think that med school is easier than dental school. I just prefer it over dental school.

I understand that I’ll have to take the MCAT and re-apply. I was only wondering whether I could get ahead early by studying the STEP 1 book (since the same material is covered in med school). My biggest concern is failing out of med school after I get in.

This is the thing. you have NO IDEA what medical school is like. Do you like talking to people? You will have to do it A LOT. You will have to do physical exams, vaginal exams, rectal exams, pap smears, touch sick people, smelly people, people who are soaked with urine, who pooped themselves. you will have to touch their body, see them naked, in their most vulnerable times. You will have to be there during childbirth during OB rotations, with women screaming at you. You will have to open up dead people, and wash out poop out of decomposing intestines (i am sorry for describing all of that, people, but i really want the OP to understand). AND you will have to make people COMFORTABLE while you are doing all those things to them. You are a stranger to them, a stranger sticking your fingers into their most private parts, and you need to do it in the way that actually makes them TRUST you and LIKE you, and believe in you. People come to us in the most vulnerable difficult times. Have you ever told a person they had cancer? Have you ever had to discuss your patient's sex life, when he/she is twice your age, and of opposite gender? Have you ever talked to someone about their substance abuse? we do ALL THAT DURING MEDICAL SCHOOL. and it is a lot sometimes. i personally love every second of it. But it is definitely not for everyone.

I suggest do shadowing in 1) hospice, 2) emergency room, 3) morgue, 4) psychiatric ward. If after that you still want to be a doctor, consider post-bac program to make sure you are ready academically. If you still want it afterwards, - go for it.


PS i am not saying all that because i am trying to talk you out of it. I am trying to get you understand the weight of all this. You are RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE and their lives. You can really scar someone by talking to them in a wrong way. You can make a woman feel violated by acting weird during a vaginal exam. everything you do will impact the person you do it to. Every touch, every word. I really dont think you understand the gravity of this.

I am telling you all this, - bluntly throwing it into your face (btw i have NEVER done this in this forum) because i love my patients, and i would not want someone who doesnt understand all this to touch them. THere are a lot of ways to make money in life. THere are a lot of ways to help people. If you are not sure you are up to this, - please change your mind. If you are, - good luck. I will be glad to help with any advice you need.

 

[Ellatha]

With a history of failing dental school classes, and with the red flag of mental health issues, I can't recommend Medicine.

John Forbes Nash Jr. - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

.

My mental health issues are very much under control now. Neither I, nor my family were aware of them prior to dental school, and they played a major role in why I was failing my classes.

This is the thing. you have NO IDEA what medical school is like. Do you like talking to people? You will have to do it A LOT. You will have to do physical exams, vaginal exams, rectal exams, pap smears, touch sick people, smelly people, people who are soaked with urine, who pooped themselves. you will have to touch their body, see them naked, in their most vulnerable times. You will have to be there during childbirth during OB rotations, with women screaming at you. You will have to open up dead people, and wash out poop out of decomposing intestines (i am sorry for describing all of that, people, but i really want the OP to understand). AND you will have to make people COMFORTABLE while you are doing all those things to them. You are a stranger to them, a stranger sticking your fingers into their most private parts, and you need to do it in the way that actually makes them TRUST you and LIKE you, and believe in you. People come to us in the most vulnerable difficult times. Have you ever told a person they had cancer? Have you ever had to discuss your patient's sex life, when he/she is twice your age, and of opposite gender? Have you ever talked to someone about their substance abuse? we do ALL THAT DURING MEDICAL SCHOOL. and it is a lot sometimes. i personally love every second of it. But it is definitely not for everyone.

I suggest do shadowing in 1) hospice, 2) emergency room, 3) morgue, 4) psychiatric ward. If after that you still want to be a doctor, consider post-bac program to make sure you are ready academically. If you still want it afterwards, - go for it.


PS i am not saying all that because i am trying to talk you out of it. I am trying to get you understand the weight of all this. You are RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE and their lives. You can really scar someone by talking to them in a wrong way. You can make a woman feel violated by acting weird during a vaginal exam. everything you do will impact the person you do it to. Every touch, every word. I really dont think you understand the gravity of this.

I am telling you all this, - bluntly throwing it into your face (btw i have NEVER done this in this forum) because i love my patients, and i would not want someone who doesnt understand all this to touch them. THere are a lot of ways to make money in life. THere are a lot of ways to help people. If you are not sure you are up to this, - please change your mind. If you are, - good luck. I will be glad to help with any advice you need.

Thank you!

 

[M&L]

John Forbes Nash Jr. - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

.

My mental health issues are very much under control now. Neither I, nor my family were aware of them prior to dental school, and they played a major role in why I was failing my classes.



Thank you!

If you are saying that you have schizophrenia, i cannot comment on that. You should discuss your diagnosis with your treating psychiatrist and have an honest discuss of whether you can go through medical school or not. Please do not compare being a mathematician to being a doctor though. Being a mathematician is a profession that allows a lot of solitude and flexibility, while being a doctor is a profession that involves a lot of very different types of human interractions. Yes, after medical school you can pursue professions that allow more solitude (such as pathology), but at the very least, during medical school you have to be VERY involved, VERY hands on, 24/7. you are NOT flexible about your own time. You are NOT the boss of your own life during medical school. it is a whole different world. Medical school literally owes you for 4 years.

 

[Ellatha]

DEFINITELY NOT. Step 1 is based on the first two years of medical school. You will not have enough knowledge to even comprehend the material before medical school. Dont.

Okay I won't. I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand. I have a strong biology background though.

If you are saying that you have schizophrenia, i cannot comment on that. You should discuss your diagnosis with your treating psychiatrist and have an honest discuss of whether you can go through medical school or not. Please do not compare being a mathematician to being a doctor though. Being a mathematician is a profession that allows a lot of solitude and flexibility, while being a doctor is a profession that involves a lot of very different types of human interractions. Yes, after medical school you can pursue professions that allow more solitude (such as pathology), but at the very least, during medical school you have to be VERY involved, VERY hands on, 24/7. you are NOT flexible about your own time. You are NOT the boss of your own life during medical school. it is a whole different world. Medical school literally owes you for 4 years.

I am also considering pursuing a PhD in biology; can you comment on that alternative at all? I am not concerned about the human to human contact during medical school (unpleasant as it may sound).

 

[Osteosaur]

I don’t have a dental school transcript. Everything is a W and my GPA is fine.

I don’t think that med school is easier than dental school. I just prefer it over dental school.

I understand that I’ll have to take the MCAT and re-apply. I was only wondering whether I could get ahead early by studying the STEP 1 book (since the same material is covered in med school). My biggest concern is failing out of med school after I get in.

Is it impossible for you to return to dental school at this point? I'm very sorry this happened to you.

One thing to get used to in medical school are that the tests are never fair. There is no arguing, there is no meeting with the professors. You just need to be the person who is able to get the right answer on the trickiest, most vaguely worded BS question, not the one who throws up their hands and goes "he didn't teach this!" That is the first two years and that is Step 1.

As someone who just took USMLE, and who is a better worker than student, I found the first two years of medical school to be pretty grueling and one of the toughest things I've done. It does push you to the brink and is an exercise in endurance even moreso than intelligence.

This is the thing. you have NO IDEA what medical school is like. Do you like talking to people? You will have to do it A LOT. You will have to do physical exams, vaginal exams, rectal exams, pap smears, touch sick people, smelly people, people who are soaked with urine, who pooped themselves. you will have to touch their body, see them naked, in their most vulnerable times. You will have to be there during childbirth during OB rotations, with women screaming at you. You will have to open up dead people, and wash out poop out of decomposing intestines (i am sorry for describing all of that, people, but i really want the OP to understand). AND you will have to make people COMFORTABLE while you are doing all those things to them. You are a stranger to them, a stranger sticking your fingers into their most private parts, and you need to do it in the way that actually makes them TRUST you and LIKE you, and believe in you. People come to us in the most vulnerable difficult times. Have you ever told a person they had cancer? Have you ever had to discuss your patient's sex life, when he/she is twice your age, and of opposite gender? Have you ever talked to someone about their substance abuse? we do ALL THAT DURING MEDICAL SCHOOL. and it is a lot sometimes. i personally love every second of it. But it is definitely not for everyone.

I suggest do shadowing in 1) hospice, 2) emergency room, 3) morgue, 4) psychiatric ward. If after that you still want to be a doctor, consider post-bac program to make sure you are ready academically. If you still want it afterwards, - go for it.


PS i am not saying all that because i am trying to talk you out of it. I am trying to get you understand the weight of all this. You are RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE and their lives. You can really scar someone by talking to them in a wrong way. You can make a woman feel violated by acting weird during a vaginal exam. everything you do will impact the person you do it to. Every touch, every word. I really dont think you understand the gravity of this.

I am telling you all this, - bluntly throwing it into your face (btw i have NEVER done this in this forum) because i love my patients, and i would not want someone who doesnt understand all this to touch them. THere are a lot of ways to make money in life. THere are a lot of ways to help people. If you are not sure you are up to this, - please change your mind. If you are, - good luck. I will be glad to help with any advice you need.

I think the OP is trying to say he's less interested in procedures, not that they don't like people.

 

[M&L]

Okay I won't. I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand.



I am also considering pursuing a PhD in biology; can you comment on that alternative at all? I am not concerned about the human to human contact during medical school (unpleasant as it may sound).

I do not know you well enough to know if PhD is a better option for you or not. You, your family and perhaps your doctor would be better people to ask that question. That being said, PhD in biology would definitely allow you to pace yourself better, to be as little or as much involved in people and science as you want, and overall, i am sure, would be much less stressful, in terms of psychological pressure.

I know one thing for sure, - if you are choosing between MD and PhD in biology, - go for PhD in biology. Pursue MD only if this is literally the only thing you ever see yourself doing. Period. Since you are choosing between the two, it gives me personally a feeling that your heart is not truly into it.

 

[Goro]

I don't see any evidence that you are running TO Medicine, other than you are running away from DDS.

Nothing you have written in your posts suggests that Medicine is for you.

 

[Ellatha]

Is it impossible for you to return to dental school at this point? I'm very sorry this happened to you.

One thing to get used to in medical school are that the tests are never fair. There is no arguing, there is no meeting with the professors. You just need to be the person who is able to get the right answer on the trickiest, most vaguely worded BS question, not the one who throws up their hands and goes "he didn't teach this!" That is the first two years and that is Step 1.

As someone who just took USMLE, and who is a better worker than student, I found the first two years of medical school to be pretty grueling and one of the toughest things I've done. It does push you to the brink and is an exercise in endurance even moreso than intelligence.

I think the OP is trying to say he's less interested in procedures, not that they don't like people.

I was given the option of returning to dental school whenever I want, but given my dislike of hands-on work, I am deciding not to.

I certainly feel that I should be able to pass if I do things correctly; my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.

I did well on the first exams given to us (which were mostly review), but struggled considerably with the second and third one's. I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.

I do not know you well enough to know if PhD is a better option for you or not. You, your family and perhaps your doctor would be better people to ask that question. That being said, PhD in biology would definitely allow you to pace yourself better, to be as little or as much involved in people and science as you want, and overall, i am sure, would be much less stressful, in terms of psychological pressure.

I know one thing for sure, - if you are choosing between MD and PhD in biology, - go for PhD in biology. Pursue MD only if this is literally the only thing you ever see yourself doing. Period. Since you are choosing between the two, it gives me personally a feeling that your heart is not truly into it.

I don't mind interacting with people, only that I dislike work that involves fine-motor coordinated hands work (like drilling into teeth, or performing a hemicorpectomy).

I will consider your suggestion.

 

[Ellatha]

I don't see any evidence that you are running TO Medicine, other than you are running away from DDS.

Nothing you have written in your posts suggests that Medicine is for you.

I was given the option of returning to dental school whenever I wanted. I was considering withdrawing from dental school before I took any exams; the truth is, I always kind of preferred medicine to dentistry. I only went into dentistry because I carried the false assumption that it would lead to a better lifestyle.

My only point was that people with mental illness can do great things, e.g.: Creativity_and_mental_health

 

[Goro]

I was given the option of returning to dental school whenever I wanted. I was considering withdrawing from dental school before I took any exams; the truth is, I always kind of preferred medicine to dentistry. I only went into dentistry because I carried the false assumption that it would lead to a better lifestyle.

My only point was that people with mental illness can do great things, e.g.: Creativity_and_mental_health

How do you propose to convince an Adcom that you can a) handle med school, and b) not bail on med school like you did with DDS?

 

[M&L]

I was given the option of returning to dental school whenever I want, but given my dislike of hands-on work, I am deciding not to.

I certainly feel that I should be able to pass if I do things correctly; my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.

I did well on the first exams given to us (which was mostly review), but struggled considerably with the second and third one's. I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.



I don't mind interacting with people, only that I dislike work that involves fine-motor coordinated hands work (like drilling into teeth, or performing a hemicorpectomy).

I will consider your suggestion.

look, at the end of the day, YOU need to decide what you want. My opinion doesnt matter, Goro's opinion doesnt matter. So, schedule A LOT of shadowing in different places and see if this is what you want/can do or not. See if you even like being in the hospital, maybe? Like, hospital is literally my favorite place in the world (besides my home). I even like the smell of hospital..
So, do shadowing, and see how you feel. But please dont get caught into the "ambition" drive, thinking that you need to graduate from something "good" because you withdrew from dental school.

 

[Ellatha]

How do you propose to convince an Adcom that you can a) handle med school, and b) not bail on med school like you did with DDS?

By scoring high on the MCAT and my GPA, like everyone else.

I will also tell them the truth: I left dental school so I could go into medicine.

 

[Osteosaur]

I was given the option of returning to dental school whenever I wanted. I was considering withdrawing from dental school before I took any exams; the truth is, I always kind of preferred medicine to dentistry. I only went into dentistry because I carried the false assumption that it would lead to a better lifestyle.

My only point was that people with mental illness can do great things, e.g.: Creativity_and_mental_health

Getting into a medical school with a 3.55 and a withdraw is going to be hard. Its hard enough for people without baggage.

Being a dentist is not a bad life. You are in. If you were able to fix your problems you have a shot at a nice career, especially with a very uncertain economy. I'd be leery of throwing it away because you're hungry for prestige/"intellectual challenge" or what have you. Unless you really think you cannot work with your hands I'd think carefully about the fact you're throwing away a shot at a stable and lucrative job. And people do like having teeth that look good and mouths that don't hurt. Don't discount it.

 

[Ellatha]

Getting into a medical school with a 3.55 and a withdraw is going to be hard. Its hard enough for people without baggage.

Being a dentist is not a bad life. You are in. If you were able to fix your problems you have a shot at a nice career, especially with a very uncertain economy. I'd be leery of throwing it away because you're hungry for prestige/"intellectual challenge" or what have you. Unless you really think you cannot work with your hands I'd think carefully about the fact you're throwing away a shot at a stable and lucrative job. And people do like having teeth that look good and mouths that don't hurt. Don't discount it.

I think with a good MCAT and ECs I could easily get into some DO if not MD schools.

The way I see it, it is 4 years either way. I might as well go into something I enjoy.

 

[M&L]

By scoring high on the MCAT and my GPA, like everyone else.

I will also tell them the truth: I left dental school so I could go into medicine.

yeah, but it is not true though, is it? you said earlier that you left dental school because you were failing. And because of your mental illness.

 

[xlv234]

Everyone’s beating around the bush so I’m just going to say it. Medical school is harder. Not only is it harder but the rigor of the medical field extends beyond medical school to residency as well whereas in dental school you only have to put up with it for 4 years.

If you are having mental health problems then switching to medical school can exacerbate your problems. Please considering taking some time off and reassessing before making a haste decision. I would hate to see you make a decision that only hurts you more. I don’t have a medical history of mental illness and I’ll tell you that medical school has made me feel more isolated socially than I’ve ever felt before.

 

[Osteosaur]

I think with a good MCAT and ECs I could easily get into some DO if not MD schools.

The way I see it, it is 4 years either way. I might as well go into something I enjoy.

All you can do is shadow to try and be sure.

Even if you get in it is not an easy road. There is going to be a lot of stress and garbage thrown your way.

 

[M&L]

Getting into a medical school with a 3.55 and a withdraw is going to be hard. Its hard enough for people without baggage.

Being a dentist is not a bad life. You are in. If you were able to fix your problems you have a shot at a nice career, especially with a very uncertain economy. I'd be leery of throwing it away because you're hungry for prestige/"intellectual challenge" or what have you. Unless you really think you cannot work with your hands I'd think carefully about the fact you're throwing away a shot at a stable and lucrative job. And people do like having teeth that look good and mouths that don't hurt. Don't discount it.

yeah but OP said they dont want work with hands.... i mean, is there even a possibility of having a career as a dentist without working with your hands???

 

[M&L]

I think with a good MCAT and ECs I could easily get into some DO if not MD schools.

The way I see it, it is 4 years either way. I might as well go into something I enjoy.

"easily"??? oh boy, you are gonna be surprised.

Good luck.

 

[Ellatha]

"easily"??? oh boy, you are gonna be surprised.

Good luck.

I was referencing the fact that a lot of people get into DO schools (and even MD schools) with less than a 3.55.

yeah, but it is not true though, is it? you said earlier that you left dental school because you were failing. And because of your mental illness.

Sure, but I could have went back if I wanted to at any time. There are no grades from that time either way.

I was on the cusp of passing with severe mental health issues, so I think that without mental health issues, and if I can fix my study problems, I should have no problem passing.

 

[Ellatha]

Everyone’s beating around the bush so I’m just going to say it. Medical school is harder. Not only is it harder but the rigor of the medical field extends beyond medical school to residency as well whereas in dental school you only have to put up with it for 4 years.

If you are having mental health problems then switching to medical school can exacerbate your problems. Please considering taking some time off and reassessing before making a haste decision. I would hate to see you make a decision that only hurts you more. I don’t have a medical history of mental illness and I’ll tell you that medical school has made me feel more isolated socially than I’ve ever felt before.

My professor told me that "they'll tell you that medical school is harder. It's not."

He is the interim dean of the dental school, and is familiar with the medical school immediately adjacent to the dental school.

I'm actually going to do a Master's program (which starts in September) before applying to anything else. So that will give me 2 years to make up my mind/

 

[M&L]

I was referencing the fact that a lot of people get into DO schools (and even MD schools) with less than a 3.55.



Sure, but I could have went back if I wanted to at any time. There are no grades from that time either way

i think you have a slightly wrong perception of what it takes to get into a DO or MD school. GPA and MCAT is just a tip of the iceberg. ok, you have a VERY wrong perception of what it takes.

Anyway. Good luck.

 

[M&L]

My professor told me that "they'll tell you that medical school is harder. It's not."

He is the interim dean of the dental school, and is familiar with the medical school immediately adjacent to the dental school.

I'm actually going to do a Master's program (which starts in September) before applying to anything else. So that will give me 2 years to make up my mind/

ok, well.... He is not a medical doctor from what i understand.... i am just saying. Also, if you trust your professor that medical school is easier than dental school, why are you worried about dropping out? If it is so easy, just do it.

 

[Ellatha]

ok, well.... He is not a medical doctor from what i understand.... i am just saying. Also, if you trust your professor that medical school is easier than dental school, why are you worried about dropping out? If it is so easy, just do it.

Not more difficult. Equally difficult.

 

[M&L]

Not more difficult. Equally difficult.

ok, look.... Honestly the more this conversation is going, the more confused i am getting about your plan, your motivation, and your reasoning.

Whatever you do - it is up to you. Just understand that even if you get in, it will be a long hard road (4 years med school+3-4 years residency+ fellowship if you do it), and you will be in BIG debt. So, be sure.
And, btw, - majority of the stuff we have to study for the boards is not in the lectures at all. not even close. it is 100% your own work ,your own hard studying at home by yourself. PLUS cases, PLUS all the other things like projects, etc. Plus clubs involvements. PLUS leadership, PLUS more shadowing. PLUS research if you want a good residency. every successful student i know has HELL of a discipline and GREAT study skills. So, make sure you are ready.

 

[zNoodlez]

I don’t have a dental school transcript. Everything is a W and my GPA is fine.

I don’t think that med school is easier than dental school. I just prefer it over dental school.

I understand that I’ll have to take the MCAT and re-apply. I was only wondering whether I could get ahead early by studying the STEP 1 book (since the same material is covered in med school). My biggest concern is failing out of med school after I get in.

I am also in the same boat as you, am sweating bullets about potentially being kicked out/failing medical school. The only difference between us is I already got in, thus they can kick me out. You, not so much. Worry about getting in first dude.

 

[M&L]

I am also in the same boat as you, am sweating bullets about potentially being kicked out/failing medical school. The only difference between us is I already got in, thus they can kick me out. You, not so much. Worry about getting in first dude.

you are class of 2024. You are just going through imposter syndrome. Everyone does (not everyone admits it though). You personally just have to keep telling yourself that if they accepted you, it means you are good enough. Tell this to yourself over and over again till it sinks in. Admissions people are smart, they know what they are doing.
At the first sign that you are not doing ok, talk to upper classmates AND office of academic development. Plus find out if your school has tutoring.

 

[Sky138]

Do you think it would be a good idea to study the USMILE Step 1 study book the summer before I start medical school? I assume my classes will cover the same material.

How far do you think you could actually get studying for one summer without any prior knowledge? Just curious

 

[M&L]

How far do you think you could actually get studying for one summer without any prior knowledge? Just curious

i know, right? i am a rising M2, JUST started preparing for step 1 (going through first year material that i ALREADY covered in class), and it is REALLY hard, when you actually have questions to answer. Plus material intertwines and links to each other - blood to immune, immune to micro, micro to GI, etc.

 

[Ellatha]

How far do you think you could actually get studying for one summer without any prior knowledge? Just curious

Don’t know. That’s why I asked. Apparently not far.

 

[Sky138]

I am also in the same boat as you, am sweating bullets about potentially being kicked out/failing medical school. The only difference between us is I already got in, thus they can kick me out. You, not so much. Worry about getting in first dude.

I don’t know you or what you’ve been through to get accepted but what I do know is that if you’re not the .001% you have a lot of blood, sweat, and tears invested in becoming a doctor. We fought for the right to attend medical school, I have no doubt that if you truly want to become a doctor you’ll make it happen. No guarantees on what residency tho

 

[frenchyn]

Considering you almost failed dental school and asking for advice, you are Quite cocky....”I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.”....I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand.”...”my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.”...”I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.”...etc...I see several problems here: 1. Your mental problem 2. Your terrible advice professor 3. Your misunderstanding and perception of medicine 4. Your cockiness 5. Inability to admit your own mistake and come up w several lame excuses (except your mental health) for your failure...

 

[M&L]

Considering you almost failed dental school and asking for advice, you are Quite cocky....”I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.”....I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand.”...”my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.”...”I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.”...etc...I see several problems here: 1. Your mental problem 2. Your terrible advice professor 3. Your misunderstanding and perception of medicine 4. Your cockiness 5. Inability to admit your own mistake and come up w several lame excuses (except your mental health) for your failure...

thank you!!!!

honestly, the first step in succeeding in medical school in my very biased personal experience is accepting that you are not as smart that you probably though, that you will have to work very very hard, and that you will never know everything. Also, that you are not better than any of your peers. Thats the first thing that needs to go out of the window.

 

[Ellatha]

Considering you almost failed dental school and asking for advice, you are Quite cocky....”I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.”....I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand.”...”my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.”...”I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.”...etc...I see several problems here: 1. Your mental problem 2. Your terrible advice professor 3. Your misunderstanding and perception of medicine 4. Your cockiness 5. Inability to admit your own mistake and come up w several lame excuses (except your mental health) for your failure...

 

[M&L]

Considering you almost failed dental school and asking for advice, you are Quite cocky....”I was taking notes by hand also while everyone else was using a laptop.”....I actually did skim through the STEP 1 book previously and found most of the material to be conceptually easy to understand.”...”my DAT and GPA were much higher than many of my classmates, and I often answered most of the questions in class.”...”I found that many of my classmates used previous exams and study guides from older students, even though we were told that this was explicitly forbidden. It was all very sketchy.”...etc...I see several problems here: 1. Your mental problem 2. Your terrible advice professor 3. Your misunderstanding and perception of medicine 4. Your cockiness 5. Inability to admit your own mistake and come up w several lame excuses (except your mental health) for your failure...

yeah, i definitely got a vibe of number 3, which IS the reason i was writing all that stuff earlier, describing things.

 

[Ellatha]

yeah, i definitely got a vibe of number 3, which IS the reason i was writing all that stuff earlier, describing things.

Maybe if my IQ was "off the charts" like yours I could have passed my classes.

 

[Sky138]

yeah, i definitely got a vibe of number 3, which IS the reason i was writing all that stuff earlier, describing things.

Quick question. You said everyone has a good work ethic and great study skills in a prior post. Did everyone basically know how to study like a medical student doing going in?

 

[M&L]

Maybe if my IQ was "off the charts" like yours I could have passed my classes.

you are missing my point. Yes, i am very smart. Yes i have a very high IQ. but NO, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH to do well in medical school right away. i was struggling my first semester, and i had to go, talk to professors, talk to upper classmates, talk to ANYONE who was willing to give me advice. I went to people, and told them "look, i do not know why i am not doing well, please help me". I shoved my pride very very deep. And i changed my strategy 4 times till i found something that worked well. And i am SO GRATEFUL i did.

 

[Ellatha]

you are missing my point. Yes, i am very smart. Yes i have a very high IQ. but NO, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH to do well in medical school right away. i was struggling my first semester, and i had to go, talk to professors, talk to upper classmates, talk to ANYONE who was willing to give me advice. I went to people, and told them "look, i do not know why i am not doing well, please help me". I shoved my pride very very deep. And i changed my strategy 4 times till i found something that worked well. And i am SO GRATEFUL i did.

But you agreed with the argument that I was “very cocky” because I mentioned that I was “hand-taking notes” (maybe that’s why I failed?), and a lot of other things not worth mentioning. It’s risible.