Is 120 shadowing hours worth delaying my app?

[Charles_Darwin]

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Hey all,

I've got 95 hours of shadowing experience applicable to my AADSAS application (It's a shame they won't take stuff before college, otherwise it'd be 150).

I have an uncle who's a dentist who is totally willing to let me shadow him for a week after my DAT. This basically means the first week of July.

Is it worth delaying my application until July 7th to get that total 120 hours worth of shadowing?

My GPA is a 3.42, my LOR's are from college professors + professors/alumni of dental schools + a famous retired public health official. My CV is really good in terms of extracurriculars and such.


Thanks team!

 

[Typical Average Student]

Just list it as planned activities.

 

[DC206R]

.

 

[BYU4you]

I wouldn't delay, 95 is plenty


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[nonociceptors]

95 vs 120 isn't going to change a thing. Now, if you're waiting to submit with 95 because some schools have a minimum of 100, then I can't believe I even have to suggest something this simple but just put 100. "What?? You want him to LIE on his app? 😱" It's 5 hours, you're going to do it in a month. And again, it's 5 hours.

 

[Frychicken]

Isn't it convenient how everyone's shadowing hours are just so nice and perfect at 100, 110, 150, etc.? 😉

Lol i imagine that we all just look at our watches while shadowing and as soon as it hits 100 hours, we just say "Welps, that's all I needed Doc. Peace out!" and walk out.

 

[DC206R]

.

 

[Hi Im Dent]

In short, no not worth it.

 

[fogorvostan]

Not worth delaying

 

[chill45]

120 hours of shadowing!?!? Good grief, I think I had 20 or 25 when i applied.

 

[Promethean]

95 vs 120 isn't going to change a thing. Now, if you're waiting to submit with 95 because some schools have a minimum of 100, then I can't believe I even have to suggest something this simple but just put 100. "What?? You want him to LIE on his app? 😱" It's 5 hours, you're going to do it in a month. And again, it's 5 hours.

Agreed. 95 vs 100 is a rounding error, and within reason if OP does intend to do another 25 hours before any interview invites even start coming in.

Saying 100 when it is really 50 or even 75 is lying. 95 to 100 is reasonably true.

Isn't it convenient how everyone's shadowing hours are just so nice and perfect at 100, 110, 150, etc.? 😉

Lol i imagine that we all just look at our watches while shadowing and as soon as it hits 100 hours, we just say "Welps, that's all I needed Doc. Peace out!" and walk out.

I've actually seen that done, once. A girl was shadowing in the OR and kept looking up at the clock. She wasn't even really paying attention to what was going on, even though the attending was being extremely gracious about making sure she had a view, and pointing out landmarks to her. At exactly 11:30a, she jumps down off the stool and says that she'd just needed to get to the required minimum 4 hours of surgical observation in for her application and would I sign the form to show she'd been there. I think it was for a PA school? She clearly didn't want anything to do with the OR and was just checking boxes.

I'd prefer to believe that everyone rounded up from 95 to 100, rather than treating their shadowing experiences with such disinterested precision as that young lady.

 

[touch my TATA Box]

The minuscule difference between standing there and doing nothing for 95 hours & standing there and doing nothing for 120 hours will not drastically affect your chances

 

[Charles_Darwin]

The minuscule difference between standing there and doing nothing for 95 hours & standing there and doing nothing for 120 hours will not drastically affect your chances

Wait, is that what shadowing is? Does it go into a different category of we actually did stuff?

Sent from my LG-H811 using SDN mobile

 

[Frychicken]

120 hours of shadowing!?!? Good grief, I think I had 20 or 25 when i applied.

Same. I think i had about 43 hours, 16 minutes, and 52 seconds.

 

[kholley25]

I am going to go against the grain and say yes, wait and apply in July. The first 2 months of the app are still considered early and won't affect your chances at all. Your hours, while good, would look better at 120.

Don't let the SDN paranoia get to you.

 

[ILoveChickenNuggets]

I think you are good with 95 hours and should just apply now. As some people have said, you can just round up to a 100 (since technically you will be shadowing more in July). I applied last year with 98 hours - and should have just rounded it to 100- but some of the schools i talked to said that that was pretty good. Now how many of those hours are from a general dentist?

 

[Charles_Darwin]

I think you are good with 95 hours and should just apply now. As some people have said, you can just round up to a 100 (since technically you will be shadowing more in July). I applied last year with 98 hours - and should have just rounded it to 100- but some of the schools i talked to said that that was pretty good. Now how many of those hours are from a general dentist?

Half and half - Ortho and oral surgery. The next guy i intern at for 25 extra hours would be a general dentist!

 

[ILoveChickenNuggets]

Half and half - Ortho and oral surgery. The next guy i intern at for 25 extra hours would be a general dentist!

Ok so I think it depends on certain schools, but when I talked to an admissions counselor from a dental school yesterday about reapplying and how I should improve my application, she asked me how many of my shadowing hours were from a general dentist. She said that they require that at least 100 of the shadowing hours are from a general dentist. I never knew about this until a couple of days ago and I don't even think it's mentioned on their website. So I guess I would go on some school's websites and see if they have specific requirements for shadowing hours.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

Ok so I think it depends on certain schools, but when I talked to an admissions counselor from a dental school yesterday about reapplying and how I should improve my application, she asked me how many of my shadowing hours were from a general dentist. She said that they require that at least 100 of the shadowing hours are from a general dentist. I never knew about this until a couple of days ago and I don't even think it's mentioned on their website. So I guess I would go on some school's websites and see if they have specific requirements for shadowing hours.

Huh that's crazy. I'll look into that. What school if you don't mind me asking?

Sent from my LG G4

 

[ILoveChickenNuggets]

Huh that's crazy. I'll look into that. What school if you don't mind me asking?

Sent from my LG G4

University of Louisville

 

[Likkriue]

You go to dental school to learn to be a general dentist. Which is why they put emphasis on shadowing a general dentist.
You don't start specializing afterwards. one adcom I spoke to(wont mention) said they don't care about shadowing endos perios and what not. Of course not all of them are like that. BUT the consensus is that shadowing a general dentist is a must.

 

[confidentandgood]

Absolutely not worth it. 95 hours makes you more than competitive at most institutions, especially if other parts of your application are strong.

 

[deleted696582]

It would be worth delaying your application if you're applying to schools that require or recommend a hundred or more shadowing hours. It depends on which schools you're applying to, but less than 100 could hurt your chances.

 

[moesam]

I am going to go against the grain and say yes, wait and apply in July. The first 2 months of the app are still considered early and won't affect your chances at all. Your hours, while good, would look better at 120.

Don't let the SDN paranoia get to you.[/QUOTE
Hello. How does ECU look at shadowing and volunteering? Im a NC resident and ECU is my top school, can you give me recommendations on things I should do, and stuff that ECU values.